View Larger Map 17 workers overcome by eye-irritating gas believed to be caused by crushed mace or pepper spray at Jersey City recycling plant Friday, May 27, 2011 By GARRETT RASKO-MARTINIS JOURNAL STAFF WRITER A number of workers were overcome by gas last night at the plastic recycling facility in the Simms Metal Management complex at 1 Linden Ave. East in Jersey City. Jersey City Medical Center spokesman Mark Rabson said that 17 workers came into contact with the gas. According to Jersey City Fire Director Armando Roman, three workers initially complained of eye irritation before calling for assistance around 7 p.m. A hazmat unit found no signs of any abnormal air quality, Roman said, who added it's believed that a can of pepper spray or mace may have been crushed along with other metal objects, releasing the gas. Rabson said that none of the workers are in serious condition at this time. The Jersey City Medical Center dispatched five basic life support vehicles, one paramedic unit, a Jersey City Mass Care responder center and emergency trailer to the site. Of those 17 workers, according to Rabson, 14 remained on the scene awaiting decontamination before being transported for observation. The other three took themselves to the Bayonne Medical Center where members of the Bayonne Fire Department decontaminated them. Of the remaining 14, nine were transported to the Jersey City Medical Center and five others were sent to the Hoboken Medical Center. Daniel Kane, president and CEO of Bayonne Medical Center, said three workers were admitted and were stable, but were still under observation and awaiting further tests.