Port Company Joins Oil Spill Relief Effort

As the oil spill crisis in the Gulf of Mexico continues to rage on, one Port Washington-based company is lending its hand in the fight against the catastrophe. Pall Corporation, a global business specializing in filtration and purification processes, has donated more than 6,000 pounds of polypropylene membrane from its manufacturing operations in Pensacola, Fla., to help protect the surrounding beaches.

"We are pleased to help any way we can," said Pall Chairman and CEO Eric Krasnoff in a press release.

Polypropylene is a highly absorbent material mainly used by certain industries to filter chemicals and fuels. Pall officials said there are hopes that it will be effective in filtering oil from the Gulf waters and in preventing it from reaching shore. According to the corporation, the fibers of the absorbent material can take up to 25 times its weight in petroleum-based liquid and at the same time repel waste.

In an effort to help out the beaches, Pall first collected the polypropylene material leftover from customer orders. Next, the company's employees, along with local volunteers, got together to bag the polypropylene into netting "socks" which were then sent to the shores of Pensacola.

"I'm especially proud of our Pensacola employees for their ingenuity and for rallying to the aid of their community," Krasnoff said. "Their actions epitomize Pall's culture of innovation, citizenship and environmental stewardship. They also demonstrate the positive impact that each of us can have on our communities."

Pall Corporation's philanthropy is no stranger to the Port Washington community. In fact, it is one of the sustaining donors of Landmark on Main Street.

"Pall has been very generous to us over the years," said the Landmark's Director of Development Beth Horn. "Mr. Krasnoff attends the theater regularly and enjoys a lot of our programs with our family. He has really made a difference at the theater."