Calverton recycling plant fire probe continues as residents consider possible environmental fallout

The cause of a Calverton recycling plant fire has not been determined as state officials continued their investigation on Thursday and residents considered possible environmental impacts. 

Riverhead Supervisor Tim Hubbard said town officials and members of the Department of Environmental Conservation returned to Crown Recycling Facility in Calverton to continue investigating. 

The Youngs Avenue facility was fully engulfed in flames early Wednesday when more than 250 firefighters and more than 35 fire and EMS departments responded, Riverhead Fire Chief Piotr Kurzyna said.

The facility accepted mixed-use recycling and contained various materials like metal and rubber tires.

Residents in a four-mile radius of the facility were told to keep their windows shut from about 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday because of heavy smoke.

DEC spokesperson Peter McGarry said the DEC is not responsible for investigating air quality.

The Environmental Protection Agency, which investigates air quality, told Newsday it was not asked to be involved.

Douglas Cevasco, 67, who lives less than half a mile away from the facility, said he had a headache Wednesday night after going outside a few times. He and his wife, Janeen Cevasco, 65, had waited until the advisory was cleared to run their air conditioning out of fear it would bring toxic air into the home.

While they felt "very lucky" winds pushed the fire north away from the house, they said Thursday they were concerned about the materials burned.

"It makes you scared because that stuff can get into your vents. It can get into your home and now you're living in a situation that could lead to sickness," Douglas Cevasco said.

Ann Marie Goldenberg, 61, of Baiting Hollow, said she planned to stay inside all day Thursday with her dog and the windows closed.

"Nobody’s really confident about the plant and what they were disposing of," Goldenberg told a Newsday reporter from behind a glass panel on her front door.

Diane Gilbert, 64, of Riverhead, said she felt comfortable disposing of yard waste on Thursday at the town facility adjacent to Crown Recycling, especially since Suffolk County and town officials had lifted the advisory.

"I wasn't worried about it today because you really can't smell it as much," Gilbert said.

As a property owner, she often dumped materials at Crown Recycling like furniture when doing renovations.

"I felt sad," she said about the fire. "They are all nice guys."

CORRECTION: Tim Hubbard is the Riverhead town supervisor. An earlier version of this story had the incorrect municipality.