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A Change.org petition has been launched and had more than 700 signers as of Wednesday, March 30, ahead of the Saturday, April 15 demolition date.
Petitioners fear the building, constructed in 1958, contains asbestos, lead, mercury, PCBs, mold spores, and arsenic, which will be released into the air upon demolition.
Petitioners are requesting an independent environmental testing of the air, soil and water to ensure contaminants are not endangering residents and leading to poor air quality. The Nabisco Factory is located near Hamilton School
Per federal and state guidelines, all asbestos will be removed from the building, according to petitioners.
Nearly 600 workers were laid off when the Nabisco plant closed after 60 years in 2021.
Crews began tearing down the building to make way for a new distribution center owned by Greek Development, who is redeveloping the property. Petitioners want Greek Development to pay for the independent testing and for any environmental remediation needed at the site.
"I am a Glen Rock resident and I’m very concerned about the environmental impact of this implosion and lack of transparency," wrote Kate Greenburg, one of the petition signers.
On Wednesday, March 29, the Glen Rock Borough School District announced school will be closed on Monday, April 17, if the demolition occurs as scheduled. If there is any issue with the air quality, the district will close again on Tuesday, April 18.
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