You are here

New York database firm says Endicott IBM toxic plume links to Parkinson’s disease

01/13/25


BINGHAMTON, NY (WIVT/WBGH) – A new statewide campaign claims people living around the former IBM campus have a much greater risk of developing Parkinson’s Disease.

Toxics Targeting is an environmental database firm in Ithaca, that identifies polluted and toxic sites throughout the state, and recently launched its Parkinson’s Prevention Campaign. The president of the firm, Walter Hang, says in the last 20 years, Parkinson’s has killed over 21,000 New Yorkers.

Hang says the disease is linked to the chemical called Trichloroethylene (TCE), which was widely used as an industrial degreaser. He also stressed that those exposed to Trichloroethylene have up to a 500% increased risk of developing Parkinson’s.

He says there are hundreds of contaminated sites around the state, but the Former IBM campus in Endicott is one of the most polluted.

According to Hang, every home within 1,000 feet of a brownfield or contaminated site needs to be tested. “IBM’s site itself is 135 acres, with massive levels of contamination. Up to tens of thousands of parts per billion. But the main concern for the public is that the pollution is migrated all the way to the Susquehanna River.”

He says the only way to clean up TCE pollution is through source removal, which means digging it out of the ground or the water supply. Hang says if you or anyone you know in New York have Parkinson’s, visit their website, ToxicsTargeting.com, and take the free survey. There, you can also find a detailed list of all of the contaminated sites, and read more information.

News 34 reached out to an IBM representative for a comment but has not heard back.