Beneath the Dust Cloud: Residents Stop DOKA’s Plan to Pollute Wallington, NJ with Concrete Dust (2017)

by Jacob Gusciora

Site Description
Author Biography
Final Report
Primary Sources
Secondary Sources
Image Analysis
Data Analysis
Oral Interviews
Video Story

Site Description:

Since 1970, Farmland Fresh Dairies has been the owner and operator of Consolidated Dairies, a milk processing plant, located in Wallington, New Jersey. After multiple undisclosed legal disputes, Consolidated Dairies was ordered by its parent company to stop operations and abandon their location in 2013. After years of legal proceedings the property was sold in 2017 to DOKA USA Ltd, a construction supply company looking to build a plant for concrete powerwashing and storage. Residents quickly learned about the proposed build of the DOKA plant and immediately raised concerns regarding their health and safety. Despite DOKA claiming there would be no harm posed to the community and promising to follow regulations set by the Environmental Protection Agency, residents refused to allow the development of the plant. The question at hand; Did residents successfully stop the build of the plant or did the company choose to abandon the location and go elsewhere? The following research is aimed at investigating the effects the DOKA concrete plant would have on residents’ health, property value, and lifestyle. With many questions left unanswered by both the Borough of Wallington and DOKA, residents scrambled for answers. Why did DOKA choose a location on the outskirts of town near middle class and low income families rather than in the upper class area of Wallington? Do historic practices of placing toxic facilities in low income communities still exist in 2017?

Author Biography:

My name is Jacob Gusciora, I am currently a senior at NJIT pursuing a Law, Technology, and Culture Bachelor’s of Arts. 

Final Report:

This is my video story on environmental inequality in Wallington, NJ and it’s cement plant.

Introduction 

“STOP DOKA or DIE OF LUNG CANCER” wrote Rosemary Giordano on Facebook as Wallington residents grew worried about their health.1 Similarly Aleksandra Gawrys posted, “We don’t want asthma, COPD, lung cancer in our community. STOP DOKA!!!!!!!!!!”.2 Sara Jones added, “Stop. I live in Wallington. So stay the #/%_ out”.3 Most notably, Carolina Montoya typed, “How can we stop this ? Everytime I call the city they have no one for me to speak too ?! What is happening in this town where are the council ?”.4 

Residents voiced their concerns on Facebook as they were recently informed that a DOKA concrete plant was making Wallington its new home. Residents immediately grew worried as their health and environment was on the line. Concrete dust being deposited into the air daily during DOKA’s standard operation concerned residents. Not only did this pose a risk to local residents’ health but also those who live and work in the surrounding towns. Residents immediately began to voice their opinions on the Facebook page that was quickly formed. What residents feared most of all is being without the power and representation to advocate and defend themselves. Residents love calling Wallington their home as it is a small town with a tight knit community where everyone knows each other. Families choose Wallington because of its outdoor amenities including parks, athletic fields, and a hiking trail. Being outside in the fresh air is what makes this small town stand out compared to nearby cities. 

Was the DOKA location chosen deliberately, hoping for minimal pushback from residents? How did residents protest the proposed plant? Did the mayor and council listen to local residents or approve the plant regardless? How would the proposed plant negatively impact health and environment? Wallington residents feared the DOKA plant would negatively impact their health, property value, and environment which caused them to fight back. 

Through this paper, we will first introduce the reader to DOKA and the history of the property. By providing information about its production and manufacturing operations, it will allow us to establish a pattern of environmental hazards that arise during the process. Next, we will examine Wallington’s history, residents, and demographics will allow us to connect Wallington to historical practices of factories and plants being overwhelmingly staffed by immigrant workers. Next we will inform the reader about the proposed DOKA build in Wallington which will better highlight the health hazards posed in a residential neighborhood. Next, we will individually assess how the proposed plant would have affected resident’s health, real estate values, and the environment. This will showcase how dangerous DOKA is and the potential devastation it could have caused to Wallington and its residents.  Finally, we will discuss how residents fought back and whether or not they were successful. 

History of the Site

The  24 acre property located at 520 Main Ave on the outskirts of Wallington has been a thriving property for decades.5 Since 1970, Farmland Fresh Dairies, a milk processing plant, has operated a state of the art facility at the location.6 Farmland Dairies took pride in leading the milk industry in supplying milk that had no added hormones to its consumers.7 In 2014 after 44 years of operation, Freshland Dairies decided to close its Wallington location with little notice to its employees and local residents who relied on tax revenue to lower costs of living.8 Borough Administrator Baginski commented on the closure, “Farmland Dairies, one of largest tax payers in the borough, also one of the largest users for water. Sewage fees, 1.2 to 1.4m per year”.9 In addition to substantially supporting the economy of Wallington, the facility also employed over 300 local residents. In 2017, the former Freshland Dairies property went up for auction. Although there were many interested buyers, DOKA USA Ltd, an Austrian based construction company that has expanded to other continents, secured the bid. 

DOKA USA Ltd, is a Austrian based construction supply company that was founded in 1868 by Stefan Hopferwieser as a carpentry trade.10 Throughout the years, DOKA began producing formwork sheets and began in-house metalworking operations.11 In 1961, the first DOKA plant outside of Austria was opened in Deutsche.12 DOKA’s formwork was primarily used in construction of large scale projects where concrete was poured into shape.13 Dozens of new locations continued to open and in 2004, DOKA helped construct the Burj Khalifa in Dubai.14 In 2018, DOKA celebrated 150 years of being the leader in the construction industry, shifting their focus on specializing in scaffolding and formwork. Today, DOKA has over 8,000 employees with locations scattered around the world in nearly 160 different countries.15 

Background on Wallington

Wallington, a small town located in Southern Bergen County, has a long and rich history. Wallington was officially founded on December 31, 1894 however Europeans had settled in the area long before in 1687.16  European immigrants continued to settle in Wallington, many of which were Polish or of Polish descent quickly giving Wallington the nickname of “Little Warsaw”.17 Many Polish immigrants settled in Wallington as it was the perfect location for those who worked in nearby Passaic as mill workers.18 Wallington women sewed and knitted sweaters, garments, slings, and pillows while their husbands worked at the nearby plants.19 Polish stores, churches, banquet halls, and even bakeries began to open around the small town. In addition to these various commercial establishments, many polish bars began to open around the borough. At one point, Wallington held the world record for most bars in a square mile, with 54 bars, one at each corner.20 

Historically immigrants have always worked in factory or plant settings as it was easy to find a job as there was always a need for more employees, Wallington was no different. A study which examined the fourteen kinds of industries including shoemaking, baking, construction, printing, blacksmithing and others was done to examine how immigrants contributed to the labor movement.21 Surprising numbers of immigrants were working in these factories, for example in the 1850s German immigrants composed 52.7% of the workforce and Irish and other European groups followed closely behind.22

Although Wallington has diversified throughout the years, it still remains a primarily immigrant community. With an estimated population of 11,825 approximately 70% of residents are White Non-Hispanic, 4% are White Hispanic, 4% are Black or African American, 4% are Asian,  and approximately 13% are other Hispanic.23 The median property value in Wallington is $493,700 with a median income of about $90,000 per year.24 The average car ownership per household is 2 vehicles.25 

The Proposed Plant

DOKA purchased the property along Main Ave with the plan of building a massive concrete washing and storage plant.26 DOKA specializes in formwork and scaffolding for large scale projects.27 The formwork is used to pour concrete for various items such as concrete highway barrier dividers. These large metal forms are assembled in the plant, placed on large transport trucks and then taken to the construction site.28 After the construction is complete, the forms are brought back to the plant where they are powerwashed from the concrete sediment that was left behind.29 Throughout the process of powerwashing the concrete is turned into small particles that get deposited into the air. 

The proposed plant floorplan, released by the Borough of Wallington highlights the different areas the plant would have. Included in those plans were multiple areas titled “Sorting Area”, “Framed Formwork Processing Line”, “Plywood Changing Area”, “Welding Area”, and most notably “Washing Bay”.30 All of these different areas were housed under one roof with large openings on both sides of the buildings to allow for airflow throughout.31 In addition to all of the work areas mentioned above, two restrooms, storage room, locker room (76 lockers), lunchroom with seating for 65, and a yard office.32 The floorplan only included building “B” which was designed to be 207 feet by 122 feet.33 It is unclear if multiple buildings were planned to be placed on the property. 

DOKA states it decided to pursue building a plant at this location as it would qualify the company for the Grow New Jersey Program.34 The Grow New Jersey Program had been granted to DOKA and this would allow for DOKA to receive $300,000 for a period of 10 years totaling in over $3 million dollars.35 It is important to note that immediately after the purchase of the property, a lawsuit was filed by Donald Nuckel against the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.36 In the lawsuit Nuckel claims he requested information from DOKA through the Open Public Records Act.37 The information requested included “(1) a concept plan, (2) an incentive map, (3) a letter of interest, (4) an environmental summary, (5) site photographs, (6) a site plan email, (7) a layered new structure document, and (8) a demolition plan with Doka’s salary and financial information”.38 DOKA’s legal counsel provided a site photo but everything else including the environmental summary was denied due to being “vague, improper, and in reference to trade secrets”.39 

Negative Effects of the Proposed Plant 

 Health

During daily operation of the DOKA plant, while powerwashing the formwork, concrete particles are blasted into the air. Particles that will make their way across town and into residential neighborhoods potentially causing serious health compromise. Inhalation of these concrete particles can cause a chronic cough, sputum production, difficulty breathing and other serious conditions.40 Long term exposure to concrete dust significantly impacts the lungs and is linked to causing larynx and lung cancer.41 Other complications that have been linked to exposure include emphysema and fibrosis which can lead to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.42 

The chemical composition of dry cement used can be easily found through the manufacturer’s fact sheet. Studies show that the chemical and physical composition of cement changes when rehydrated, much like when the power washing takes place.43 This makes it very difficult to determine the composition that is deposited into the air and then into local resident’s lungs. Many different cements tend to have various different metal compounds in their concentration.44 Other cements contain crystalline silica which studies show is insoluble in water and can cause oxidative damage.45 Both of these elements in cement can cause inflammation and scarring of the tissue which is linked to conditions like pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, cancer, and possibly renal and immunological disease.46

Property Value

Wallington is a mostly middle class community, but DOKA decided to choose it as its next location. Specifically, DOKA chose the outskirts of town near a large apartment complex that is considered to be lower income than other parts of Wallington. Historically toxic sites have been strategically placed in lower income communities as there is less pushback faced by the residents.47 Studies show that race, social class, socioeconomic factors and other social markers are what is mainly considered when choosing the location of a toxic site.48 In this case in an already low income area of town, residents were potentially facing their property values dropping even more. 

Another factor that can also decrease property values in the area is the increase of truck traffic. This would be seen once the plant was open since all manufacturing materials must enter and exit the plant by using residential borough streets. Kevin Garcia, the senior transportation planner for the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance said about traffic near a different facility that opened nearby, “In neighborhoods where we’re seeing these facilities cluster, we are seeing increases in vehicular traffic congestion. It’s not just during traditional peak hours, it’s all day, every day that we’re seeing increases in this vehicular traffic”.49 Increases in truck traffic not only create unwanted drive times when getting around town but they also increase wear on roadways which get maintained through taxpayer money not the trucking company.50

Large industrial buildings often are considered eyesores by residents and those who pass them every day. Many times after the plant closes, it remains abandoned for years to come dragging down the nearby property values along with it. In Indianapolis, an old RCA plant took 25 years to finally get demolished after enough residents raised concerns about it lowering their property values. A local resident said, “When RCA left, the neighborhood surrounding the plant began to decline”.51 During this time the plant attracted unwanted crime and illegal dumping. 

Environment

Wallington residents knew that the environment they live in would be greatly affected by the proposed plant. Air quality in the immediate vicinity of the facility would be greatly affected as the concrete particles are released directly into the air without being filtered in any way. Air pollution from industrial settings can release toxins into the atmosphere, negatively affect public health as well as exacerbate the climate crisis.52

Soil pollution is also a concerning factor surrounding the operation of the DOKA site. Manufacturing plants are the leading contributor of soil contamination and pollution.53 By DOKA heavily relying on powerwashing as part of their daily operations, the sediment and run off water is likely to go directly into the ground rather than the sewage. This would directly deposit concrete, metal, and other particles into the environment. It would be nearly impossible to secure the water particles that the powerwash releases during the process. 

Another environmental factor that Wallington residents were worried about was noise pollution that the plant would produce. Unwanted noise from machinery, motors, and trucks can be a huge disturbance for a quiet town. Studies show that trucks can produce about 100 dBA while various industrial pumps, motors, crushers, and boosters can reach as high as 120dBA.54 For reference, a siren on a standard emergency vehicle is about 100dBA. With operations at the site being all day, five days a week many residents feared hearing this noise would drive them out of town. 

Residents Fight Back

Immediately after the news broke that DOKA may be building a plant in Wallington, residents immediately began voicing their opinions and fears. Hours after the announcement was made, a Facebook page called Stop the DOKA Disaster was formed. The page’s aim was to inform residents of the harmful effects of the plant as well as give a platform for those who were concerned to freely write how they feel. Residents did not wait and immediately began using the page. Some residents said, “When will towns & cities learn that there is a price & future residents will pay with, maybe, their lives”, and “No way hoza are you crazy do you want to destroy this area think about the baby’s there people to don’t do it” .55 In addition to hundreds of comments from local residents, the site quickly began posting political cartoons targeting the politicians in office, campaign videos for the opposing team, and pictures of children in facemasks. Residents grew uncertain about the future of Wallington and they demanded for DOKA to be stopped. 

A petition was quickly formed where residents gathered signatures to stop the approval to build the new plant. In addition to the Facebook posts and petition, residents urged everyone to attend the next council meeting where they can demand that the plant be stopped. Posts saying, “Please voice your opinion at the Mayor and Council meeting on Thursday Aug 20 at 6:30pm. If you think this is wrong, let your town officials know by emailing your comments to gzagaja@wallingtonnj.org by 3:30 on August 20”, began appearing all over Facebook.56 Many were eager to attend the meeting, the council even decided to move the meeting to the high school gymnasium to accommodate the large crowd of people expected to show up. As the meeting date neared however, it was cancelled by the mayor and council with no explanation. Residents continued to live in fear, hoping that they could voice their concerns at the next council meeting. 

Conclusion

After a long fought battle with months of living in fear, Wallington residents triumphed and successfully stopped the DOKA plant from making Wallington its new home. Although residents were never given their meeting for them to voice their concerns, the mayor and council knew that residents were furious and decided to stop all further approvals regarding the DOKA plant. There are many questions that still remain unanswered, there is room to speculate on what those answers may be. DOKA claims Wallington was chosen as it would ensure they qualified for the Grow New Jersey Program. Residents believe it was chosen due to its middle class families, who didn’t have much power in stopping the plant. Historic practices of placing toxic facilities in low income communities still exist today, but we also learned when residents come together they can stop anything. Wallington residents successfully stopped the DOKA plant from being built preserving their health, property values, and environment. 

After the failure of building a plant in Wallington, DOKA ventured off and bought a property in Kenilworth, New Jersey where they built the plant they were pushing for here in Wallington. In 2022, DOKA had officially sold the property located at 520 Main Ave in Wallington for over $30 million dollars.57 The property still remains unoccupied, as residents keep a close eye on what the future holds.

Endnotes

  1. “Stop the DOKA Disaster,” Facebook, 2017, https://www.facebook.com/dokadisaster.
  2. “Stop the DOKA Disaster,” Facebook, 2017, https://www.facebook.com/dokadisaster.
  3. “Stop the DOKA Disaster,” Facebook, 2017, https://www.facebook.com/dokadisaster.
  4. “Stop the DOKA Disaster,” Facebook, 2017, https://www.facebook.com/dokadisaster.
  5.   Kelly Nicholaides, “Farmland Dairies Demolition Continues,” North Jersey Media Group, April 6, 2017, https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/2017/04/05/farmland-dairies-demolition-continues/100066844/.
  6. “Farmland Fresh Dairies,” Our Story || Farmland Fresh Dairies, accessed December 7, 2025, https://farmlandmilk.com/our-story.php. 
  7.   “Farmland Fresh Dairies,” Our Story || Farmland Fresh Dairies, accessed December 7, 2025, https://farmlandmilk.com/our-story.php. 
  8. Farmland Dairies in Wallington is closing, resulting in 325 layoffs | video | NJ spotlight news, accessed December 8, 2025, https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/farmland-daries-closes-in-wallington-resulting-in-325-layoffs/.
  9.   Farmland Dairies in Wallington is closing, resulting in 325 layoffs | video | NJ spotlight news, accessed December 8, 2025, https://www.njspotlightnews.org/video/farmland-daries-closes-in-wallington-resulting-in-325-layoffs/.
  10. Doka, “Milestones,” Doka, accessed December 17, 2025, https://www.doka.com/us/about/milestones/milestones.
  11. Doka, “Milestones,” Doka, accessed December 17, 2025, https://www.doka.com/us/about/milestones/milestones.
  12. Doka, “Milestones,” Doka, accessed December 17, 2025, https://www.doka.com/us/about/milestones/milestones.
  13. Doka, “Milestones,” Doka, accessed December 17, 2025, https://www.doka.com/us/about/milestones/milestones.
  14. Doka, “Milestones,” Doka, accessed December 17, 2025, https://www.doka.com/us/about/milestones/milestones.
  15. Doka, “Milestones,” Doka, accessed December 17, 2025, https://www.doka.com/us/about/milestones/milestones.
  16. “History,” Wallington NJ, accessed December 17, 2025, https://www.wallingtonnj.org/about-borough/pages/history.
  17. Lindsey Bianchi, “Little Poland in New Jersey,” SCM Montclair Multimedia, May 13, 2019, https://montclairimmigrationproject.home.blog/2019/04/01/little-poland-in-new-jersey/. 
  18. “History,” Wallington NJ, accessed December 17, 2025, https://www.wallingtonnj.org/about-borough/pages/history.
  19. “History,” Wallington NJ, accessed December 17, 2025, https://www.wallingtonnj.org/about-borough/pages/history.
  20. Caitlyn Kim et al., “Closing Time: The Science behind Nostalgia for Our Favorite Bars,” Colorado Public Radio, March 31, 2019, https://www.cpr.org/2019/03/31/closing-time-the-science-behind-nostalgia-for-our-favorite-bars/.
  21. Laurie, B., Hershberg, T., & Alter, G. (1975). Immigrants and Industry: The Philadelphia Experience, 1850-1880. Journal of Social History, 9(2), 219–248. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3786253
  22. Laurie, B., Hershberg, T., & Alter, G. (1975). Immigrants and Industry: The Philadelphia Experience, 1850-1880. Journal of Social History, 9(2), 219–248. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3786253
  23. “Wallington, NJ,” Data USA, accessed December 17, 2025, https://datausa.io/profile/geo/wallington-nj.
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  26. “Stop the DOKA Disaster.” Facebook, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/dokadisaster.
  27. Doka, “Milestones,” Doka, accessed December 17, 2025, https://www.doka.com/us/about/milestones/milestones.
  28. “Stop the DOKA Disaster.” Facebook, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/dokadisaster.
  29. “Stop the DOKA Disaster.” Facebook, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/dokadisaster.
  30. 5094 D-3-4-5 building B-C D-3 bui. Boro of Wallington. (2018, July 13). https://www.wallingtonnj.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif1376/f/news/5094_d-3_building_b_plan_11.14.19.pdf 
  31. 5094 D-3-4-5 building B-C D-3 bui. Boro of Wallington. (2018, July 13). https://www.wallingtonnj.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif1376/f/news/5094_d-3_building_b_plan_11.14.19.pdf 
  32. 5094 D-3-4-5 building B-C D-3 bui. Boro of Wallington. (2018, July 13). https://www.wallingtonnj.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif1376/f/news/5094_d-3_building_b_plan_11.14.19.pdf 
  33. 5094 D-3-4-5 building B-C D-3 bui. Boro of Wallington. (2018, July 13). https://www.wallingtonnj.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif1376/f/news/5094_d-3_building_b_plan_11.14.19.pdf 
  34. Donald Nuckel v. New Jersey Economic Development Authority, No. A-0859-17T2 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. May 19, 2020). https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2020/a0859-17.html
  35. Donald Nuckel v. New Jersey Economic Development Authority, No. A-0859-17T2 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. May 19, 2020). https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2020/a0859-17.html
  36. Donald Nuckel v. New Jersey Economic Development Authority, No. A-0859-17T2 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. May 19, 2020). https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2020/a0859-17.html
  37. Donald Nuckel v. New Jersey Economic Development Authority, No. A-0859-17T2 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. May 19, 2020). https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2020/a0859-17.html
  38. Donald Nuckel v. New Jersey Economic Development Authority, No. A-0859-17T2 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. May 19, 2020). https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2020/a0859-17.html
  39. Donald Nuckel v. New Jersey Economic Development Authority, No. A-0859-17T2 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. May 19, 2020). https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2020/a0859-17.html
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  46. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2021, 18(19), 10126; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910126
  47. Mascarenhas, M., Grattet, R., & Mege, K. (2021). Toxic Waste and Race in Twenty-First Century America: Neighborhood Poverty and Racial Composition in the Siting of Hazardous Waste Facilities. Environment and Society, 12(1), 108-126. Retrieved Oct 20, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.3167/ares.2021.120107 
  48. Mascarenhas, M., Grattet, R., & Mege, K. (2021). Toxic Waste and Race in Twenty-First Century America: Neighborhood Poverty and Racial Composition in the Siting of Hazardous Waste Facilities. Environment and Society, 12(1), 108-126. Retrieved Oct 20, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.3167/ares.2021.120107 
  49. Mike Matteo, “Immense Industrial Development on Staten Island: How Accurate Are the Traffic Projections?,” silive, November 30, 2025, https://www.silive.com/news/2025/11/immense-industrial-development-on-staten-island-how-accurate-are-the-traffic-projections.html.
  50. Mike Matteo, “Immense Industrial Development on Staten Island: How Accurate Are the Traffic Projections?,” silive, November 30, 2025, https://www.silive.com/news/2025/11/immense-industrial-development-on-staten-island-how-accurate-are-the-traffic-projections.html.
  51. Mike Matteo, “Immense Industrial Development on Staten Island: How Accurate Are the Traffic Projections?,” silive, November 30, 2025, https://www.silive.com/news/2025/11/immense-industrial-development-on-staten-island-how-accurate-are-the-traffic-projections.html.
  52. “Clean Air Council ” Industrial Air Pollution,” Clean Air Council, accessed December 18, 2025, https://cleanair.org/industrial-air-pollution/.
  53. “Industrial Noise: What Is It and How to Control It?,” Soft dB, accessed December 18, 2025, https://www.softdb.com/soundproofing/industrial-noise/.
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  55. “Stop the DOKA Disaster.” Facebook, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/dokadisaster.
  56. “Stop the DOKA Disaster.” Facebook, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/dokadisaster.
  57. Doka Newsletter. (n.d.-a). https://www.doka.com/web/media/files/230523_UG_GB23_Ansicht_EN.pdf






Primary Sources:

Donald Nuckel v. New Jersey Economic Development Authority, No. A-0859-17T2 (N.J. Super. Ct. App. Div. May 19, 2020). https://law.justia.com/cases/new-jersey/appellate-division-unpublished/2020/a0859-17.html

This source is a court case from the Superior Court of New Jersey between a Wallington Real Estate investor and DOKA. In the case we see a request for DOKA to turn over multiple different documents in order for them to qualify for the Grow New Jersey Tax Cut Program. DOKA refused to turn over certain documents stating they would release the firm’s trade secrets. The case serves as a way of establishing DOKA’s  mysterious behaviors in regards to showing documents. Is the reason for not producing such documents associated with exposing the harm that could be caused by the cement particles that get released into the air or other factors? The court case also in brief detail describes the property that DOKA bought as well as where former locations were and where the firm headquarters are located. 

 

5094 D-3-4-5 building B-C D-3 bui. Boro of Wallington. (2018, July 13). https://www.wallingtonnj.org/sites/g/files/vyhlif1376/f/news/5094_d-3_building_b_plan_11.14.19.pdf

This source is a proposed building plan of the new DOKA site which will allow me to put perspective on how built this plan was really going to be. The proposed plan has measurements of how big the building will be as well as detailed labels on what each part of the building will be used for. This plan came directly from the Borough of Wallington’s website and will be used to debunk certain claims that state that no harmful particles will actually be produced from DOKA’s operation. The plan has labeled areas such as washing bays, sorting areas, plywood changing areas, and welding areas all of which were going to be in one open area. The building had proposed dimensions of 206 feet by 122 feet which would allow for the reader to put into perspective how big of an operation this would be. 

“Stop the DOKA Disaster.” Facebook, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/dokadisaster. 

 This source is a Facebook page that was created by the Democratic party who were against the building of the DOKA plant. This page quickly became the center of all discussions related to the plant and allows for us to see what residents were saying and thinking about the plant. This source is different from others as it gives a first hand look at what residents were thinking at the time. 

DOKA. (2018). https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/763c15_137b720e653e4978991f9b658165435e.pdf 

This source is a digitized pamphlet that was distributed to Wallington residents by DOKA in an effort to convince residents that DOKA is not harmful. The article briefly discussed what the firm does however does not go into depth if their actions are harmful. The pamphlet explains how the firm was approached by the state with a $3 million incentive to stay in Bergen County which is why the firm decided to choose Wallington. The article does state that no trucks entering the facility will be carrying hazardous materials. This article is a good way of comparing what the firm says and what concerned residents are saying. 

Doka Newsletter. (n.d.-a). https://www.doka.com/web/media/files/230523_UG_GB23_Ansicht_EN.pdf 

This source is a newsletter directly from DOKA headquarters which is located in Austria. The newsletter discusses various topics about the firm and its operations however most notable to this project are their methods of sustainability. I will be able to use this source to investigate which methods DOKA uses and overlap them with practices here to see if they align. The newsletter also discusses various methods the company will fight for a more sustainable future, inferring that it hasn’t been up until this point. Most notably, the newsletter discusses the Wallington location which according to the letter has been sold for well over 60 million dollars. This is particularly interesting considering the property was bought for about 3 million dollars.

Analysis of following Source: 

  • “Stop the DOKA Disaster.” Facebook, 2017. https://www.facebook.com/dokadisaster. 

Political memes, videos, and discussion are all found on this page which allow us to get a better sense of what residents in town were thinking. Within the page is a letter from one of the real estate developers in town that was strictly against the production of the DOKA site. This letter was mailed to every resident in town in an attempt to gain enough support to stop the building of the new plant. This letter is able to give us a sense of how others felt about the plans and the arguments they had to stop DOKA. The letter discusses the harmful effects of concrete particles in the air as well as explores other potential projects that can be built at the location in place of the DOKA site. The letter also mentions that DOKA is already suing the borough before even building a plant due to too high property taxes. The Facebook page was run by the Democratic nominees for council and was used as a political campaign page. Propositions of a senior living facility or new train station were also proposed on the website as alternatives to the plant. The Stop the DOKA Disaster Facebook page places the reader into the time period during which residents pushed back against the plant by showing political propaganda, residents’ comments, and proposed plans at the location. 

Political propaganda is seen throughout the Facebook page mainly through political memes, campaign videos, and political pamphlets. Resident’s comments are seen throughout the page which give a good sense of understanding about how residents felt and thought about the plant. One comment that stood out to me was “STOP DOKA or DIE OF LUNG CANCER”-Rosemary Giordano. Multiple proposed plans are found throughout the page which give a perspective of what other developers were pushing to build instead.

Secondary Sources:

Gharpure, A., Heim, J. W., II, & Vander Wal, R. L. (2021). Characterization and Hazard Identification of Respirable Cement and Concrete Dust from Construction Activities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(19), 10126. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph181910126

This source is an article that analyzes the effects concrete dust has on one’s health as well as the environment and the pollutants it releases.

This source will allow me to demonstrate how toxic concrete dust is and the effects it has on one’s health. This will be beneficial to the overall argument of my paper as it lays out the concerns that the residents of Wallington had with the opening of a concrete plan in town. The article explores different types of pollutants that are released from the concrete which include different metals and crystalline silica both of which pose serious health concerns. The article further explores possible health conditions that may arise due to cement pollution which include larynx and lung cancer. The article includes multiple different testing methods including x-ray, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and many other tests which will give scientific accuracy to my claims. 

Mascarenhas, M., Grattet, R., & Mege, K. (2021). Toxic Waste and Race in Twenty-First Century America: Neighborhood Poverty and Racial Composition in the Siting of Hazardous Waste Facilities. Environment and Society, 12(1), 108-126. Retrieved Oct 20, 2025, from https://doi.org/10.3167/ares.2021.120107 

This source is an article that will help me establish historical patterns when it comes to placing toxic waste sites into minority, low income neighborhoods.

This source will allow me to set the trends that the United States has been facing for centuries in regards to placing toxic waste sites in low income communities. Although my chosen site is not necessarily a waste site, it produces the same if not worse chemicals that are deposited into these neighborhoods. The article not only explores toxic waste sites but also looks into chemical plants, industrial plants, and landfills, all of which affect closeby residents. The article poses the question of whether these plants are placed in communities where minorities live as they face less opposition or whether minorities purposely live nearby for work or cheaper housing. With the research in this article, I will be able to answer that same question regarding my chosen site. 

Laurie, B., Hershberg, T., & Alter, G. (1975). Immigrants and Industry: The Philadelphia Experience, 1850-1880. Journal of Social History, 9(2), 219–248. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3786253

This source is an article that will help me establish a connection between immigrants historically working in factories and the concrete plant being placed in an immigrant community. 

This source will allow me to establish a historical timeline of factories and plants being historically run by primarily immigrant workers. This can help me connect the DOKA plants’ chosen location as Wallington is primarily made up of immigrants. The article describes what jobs immigrants worked as far back as the 1850’s. Many of these described factory jobs were located in nearby Passaic, which is why immigrants found it convenient to settle in Wallington. As factories closed and production moved overseas, residents turned to more traditional jobs on the market however DOKA’s attempt to build in town would drive residents back into jobs where often their health was at risk.

Image Analysis:

The image I have chosen to analyze for this research paper is the political cartoon pictured above. This specific picture was used at the midst of the election season and was released just days before the election where Republican Councilman Androwis and Rachelski were going up against Democrats Pinto and Svetz. The republicans in town were supporting the building of the DOKA plant, while democrats were strictly against the build mainly due to concern for public health. The image above was produced by the Stop the Doka Disaster in protest of republican plans to allow the plans to build the plant in Wallington. The intended audience was the voters within the borough, who had the power to determine the fate of Wallington during the upcoming election. This political cartoon although seems very bare bones, much can be extracted from the image. 

At first glance of the image, I am immediately drawn to the two individuals to the right of the image in black suits. Based on the caption above the image, I can determine that they are Councilman Androwis and Rachelski. In the comment from the Stop the DOKA Disaster group, the author mentioned that both councilmen have been sued over various factors which explains why the two “deadbeat” signs are being worn by the figures in the image. It is also important to note that in the image, the two councilmen are in nice suits, perhaps implying that they come from a wealthier background and have more power within the borough. The image also suggests that the two councilmen are running rather fast, possibly away from voters that may have questions. The ties waiving in the air and the drips of sweat coming off of the individual’s head suggests this. 

After the two individuals in the suits, I am then drawn to the people in the back chasing the councilmen. It is also noted that there is a third individual in a suit chasing the two councilmen. There is a possibility this is one of the opposing party’s nominees although not explicitly stated. We also see a woman in an apron, which can represent either a mother who may have been cooking but was pulled away from what she was doing to fight for justice and answers. We can see in her face that she is severely dissatisfied. We can also tell that she is running just as fast as the men in suits are as her pony tail is bouncing side to side. The third individual is a construction worker that lost his hat trying to catch up to the councilmen. This may be a worker from the proposed factory itself, running towards the republican councilmen trying to stop them. Is this because he may know more about the plant and the harm it may cause? 

Lastly there is a lot of dust being kicked up from the councilmen running. This can be a way of showing that their proposed concrete powerwashing plant will produce the same. This is a reminder that concrete dust will soon plague the air of Wallington if the individuals in the back do not catch up to the councilmen and stop this plant build. 

Lastly it is important to acknowledge the size and caption of the drawing. The size differences are most notable between the councilmen’s heads and the rest of the people in the image. They are substantially bigger than the rest suggesting the two are arrogant and out of touch with reality. The caption of the image states “Run Faster Khaldoun, They’re Catching Up”. Khaldoun is the first name of councilman Androwis. The caption suggests that the people chasing him are catching up to the lies being fed and are demanding answers now. 



Data Analysis:

Oral Interviews:

Video Story:

This is my video story on environmental inequality in Wallington, NJ and it’s cement plant.