Safeguarding Communities from Chemical Exposures
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Toxic Residents: Health and Citizenship at Love Canal
View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Bucknell University Bucknell University Bucknell Digital Commons Faculty Journal Articles Faculty Scholarship Fall 2016 Toxic Residents: Health and Citizenship at Love Canal Jennifer Thomson Bucknell University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.bucknell.edu/fac_journ Part of the Other History Commons, and the United States History Commons Recommended Citation Thomson, Jennifer. "Toxic Residents: Health and Citizenship at Love Canal." Journal of Social History (2016) : 204-223. This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Faculty Scholarship at Bucknell Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Journal Articles by an authorized administrator of Bucknell Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Journal of Social History Advance Access published December 19, 2015 JENNIFER THOMSON Toxic Residents: Health and Citizenship at Love Canal Abstract Downloaded from This article investigates the relationship between American political culture and grassroots environmentalism in the 1970s. To do so, it examines how the white working class residents of Love Canal, New York, claimed health and a healthy en- vironment as rights of citizenship. To date, the Canal has remained a sore spot for environmental scholarship; this article demonstrates how the analytic difficulties http://jsh.oxfordjournals.org/ posed by the Canal stem from the crosscurrents of American political culture in the late 1970s. Canal residents put their local experience into several larger frames of reference: the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, the plight of Cuban and Vietnamese refugees, and a culture of skepticism toward government and medical authority. -
Approaches for Assessing Health Risks from Complex Mixtures in Indoor Air: a Panel Overview by Carol J
Environmental Health Perspectives Vol. 95, pp. 135-143, 1991 Approaches for Assessing Health Risks from Complex Mixtures in Indoor Air: A Panel Overview by Carol J. Henry,* Lawrence Fishbein,* William J. Meggs,t Nicholas A. Ashford,' Paul A. Schulte,§ Henry Anderson,/' J. Scott Osborne,' and Daniel W. Sepkovictt Critical to a more definitive human health assessment ofthe potential health risks from exposure to complex mixtures in indoor air is the need for a more definitive clinical measure and etiology ofthe helath effects ofcomplex mixtures. This panel overview highlights six ofthe eight presentations ofthe conference panel discussion and features a number ofthe major topical areas of indoor air concern. W. G. Meggs assessed clinical research priorities with primary focus on the role ofvolatile organic chemicals in human health, recognizing the areas where definitive data are lacking. By recogniz- ing many types ofchemical sensitivity, it may be possible to design studies that can illuminate the mechanisms by which chemical exposure may cause disease. The critically important topic of multiple chemical sensitivity was discussed by N. A. Ashford, who identified four high risk groups and defined the demographics ofthese groups. P. A. Schulte address- ed the issue ofbiological markers ofsusceptibility with specific considerations ofboth methodologia and societal aspects that may be operative in the ability to detect innate or inborne differences between individuals and populations. Three case studies were reviewed. H. Anderson discussed the past and present priorities from a public health perspective, focusing on those issues dealing with exposures to environmental tobacco smoke and formaldehyde off-gassing from materials used in mobile homeconstruction. -
Love Canal Follow-Up Health Study
Love Canal Follow-up Health Study Prepared by the Division of Environmental Health Assessment Center for Environmental Health New York State Department of Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry In memory of Charlene M. Spampinato and her longstanding dedication to the Love Canal project. October 2008 State of New York Funding Provided by Department of Health United States Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry CONTENTS Page LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS………………………………………………....................iii LIST OF FIGURES.……………………………………………………………...............iv LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………………………….............v LIST OF APPENDICES....…...…...…..…………………………………………...........vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY………………………………………………………….........1 INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………………..5 Love Canal History……………………………………………………….6 Environmental Sampling………………………………………………….8 Study Area………………………………………………….....................10 Review of Earlier Love Canal Health Studies…………………………...11 Community Involvement………………………………………………...15 Study Objectives…………………………………………………………17 METHODS………………………………………………………………………………19 Study Population……………………………………………………........19 Comparison Populations………………………………………………....20 Tracing Former Love Canal Residents…………………………………..20 Exposure Assessment………………………………………………........22 Outcome Assessment……………………………………………….…....25 Mortality…………………………………………………….…...25 Cancer Incidence………………………………………………....26 Reproductive Outcomes……………………………………….…28 Potential Confounders…………………………………………………....31 -
Indoor Air Quality Factors in Designing a Healthy Building,” Annual
Spengler, J.D. and Chen, Q. 2000. “Indoor air quality factors in designing a healthy building,” Annual Review of Energy and the Environment, 25, 567-600. Indoor Air Quality Factors in Designing a Healthy Building John D. Spengler School of Public Health, Harvard University, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115; e-mail: [email protected] Qingyan (Yan) Chen Building Technology Program, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139; e-mail: [email protected] KEY WORDS: regulations, contaminant sources, building materials and systems, ventilation models, design tools Shortened title: IAQ in Designing a Healthy Building Abstract Current guidelines for green buildings are cursory and inadequate for specifying materials and designing ventilation systems to ensure a healthful indoor environment, i.e. a “healthy building,” by design. Public perception, cultural preferences, litigation trends, current codes and regulations, rapid introduction of new building materials and commercial products, as well as the prevailing design-build practices, pose challenges to systems integration in the design, construction and operation phases of modern buildings. We are on the verge of a paradigm shift in ventilation design thinking. In the past, thermal properties of air within a zone determined heating, ventilating, and air- conditioning (HVAC) specifications. In the future, occupant-specific and highly responsive systems will become the norm. Natural ventilation, displacement ventilation, microzoning with subfloor plenums, along with the use of point of source heat control and point of use sensors, will evolve to create a "smart" responsive ventilation-building dynamic system. Advanced ventilation design tools such as the modeling of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) will be used routinely. -
Polychlorinated Dibenzo-P-Dioxins and Dibenzofurans in the Great Lakes
Hdb Env Chem Vol. 5, Part N (2006): 71–150 DOI 10.1007/698_5_040 © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005 Published online: 2 December 2005 Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Dibenzofurans in the Great Lakes Ross J. Norstrom Centre for Analytical and Environmental Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON K1S 5B6, Canada [email protected] 1Introduction................................... 73 2 Occurrence and Geographical Distribution .................. 75 2.1 Air........................................ 75 2.1.1ConcentrationsinAir.............................. 75 2.1.2AirDepositionModels............................. 78 2.2 Water....................................... 83 2.2.1SaginawRiver.................................. 83 2.2.2DetroitRiver................................... 84 2.2.3NiagaraRiver.................................. 85 2.3 LakeSediments................................. 86 2.4 RiverandBaySediments............................ 91 2.4.1 Fox River/GreenBaySediments........................ 91 2.4.2LakeSuperiorBaySediments.......................... 91 2.4.3 Saginaw River/SaginawBaySediments.................... 92 2.4.4DetroitRiverSediments............................. 94 2.4.5NiagaraRiverSediments............................ 95 2.5 Fish........................................ 97 2.5.1 Surveys of 2378-TeCDD and 2378-TeCDF . ................ 98 2.5.2ComprehensiveSurveys............................. 103 2.6 SeabirdsandSnappingTurtleEggs...................... 107 2.6.1HerringGullEggs............................... -
A Superfund Solution for an Economic Love Canal
Pace Law Review Volume 30 Issue 1 Fall 2009 Real Property, Mortgages, and the Economy: A Article 22 Call for Ethics and Reforms September 2009 A Superfund Solution for an Economic Love Canal Mehmet K. Konar-Steenberg William Mitchell College of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/plr Part of the Banking and Finance Law Commons, and the Property Law and Real Estate Commons Recommended Citation Mehmet K. Konar-Steenberg, A Superfund Solution for an Economic Love Canal, 30 Pace L. Rev. 310 (2009) Available at: https://digitalcommons.pace.edu/plr/vol30/iss1/22 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Law at DigitalCommons@Pace. It has been accepted for inclusion in Pace Law Review by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@Pace. For more information, please contact [email protected]. A Superfund Solution for an Economic Love Canal Mehmet K. Konar-Steenberg* ´7KHUHLVVLPSO\QRJRRGUHDVRQIRUXVWRUHVSRQGWRRQHW\SHRI release of a poison, but not another. The test should not be whether poison was released into river water rather than into well water; or by toxic waste buried in the ground rather than toxic waste discharged to the ground. The test should be whether the poison was released. I assure you that the victim GRHV QRW FDUH WR PDNH WKRVH GLVWLQFWLRQV QRU VKRXOG ZHµ Senator Robert T. Stafford1 Introduction Consider this scenario: A profitable but hazardous LQGXVWU\·V ZRUVW-case risks come to pass. Neighborhoods are boarded-up and residents dislocated. Poor and minority communities are hit particularly hard because they offered the OHDVW UHVLVWDQFH WR WKH LQGXVWU\·V TXHVWLRQDEOH SUDFWLFHV³ practices virtually unregulated by the government and undeterred by the tort system. -
Timeline: Love Canal Hazardous Waste Disaster
Timeline: Love Canal Hazardous Waste Disaster 1892 William T. Love proposed construction of a manmade canal that would ultimately link the Niagara River to Lake Ontario, providing water and hydroelectric power for the model industrial city. 1942 Hooker Chemical and Plastics Corporation began dumping chemical wastes at the Love Canal, and by 1952 had dumped nearly 22,000 tons of chemical waste into the canal. 1953 Hooker Chemical and Plastics Corporation sold the Love Canal property (approximately 15 acres) for $1.00 to the Board of Education of Niagara Falls with a deed disclaimer of responsibility for any future damages due to the presence of buried chemicals. 1955 Board of Education of Niagara Falls completed construction on and opened the 99th Street Elementary School and sold unused sections of the Love Canal property to home developers to build residences. 1976–1977 The Niagara Gazette (and reporter Michael H. Brown) in a series of articles reported that chemical residues from the Love Canal landfill between 97th and 99th Streets have been seeping into the basements of homes in the area. These reports cited illnesses and injuries to residents and pets and destruction of plant life. The newspaper urged prompt government action. 1978 New York State Health Commissioner (Dr. Robert Whalen) began health studies of the Love Canal community (house-to-house collecting of blood samples, levels of toxic vapors, and medical exams and studies of residents) that subsequently confirmed that a serious public health hazard existed. New York Health Department officials met with Love Canal residents and explained the hazards of exposure to toxic chemicals in and around homes. -
United States District Court
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF MISSOURI SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION ____________________________________________ ) THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ) THE STATES OF COLORADO, OKLAHOMA, ) MISSOURI, KANSAS, ILLINOIS, MONTANA, ) and TENNESEE, and THE EASTERN SHAWNEE ) TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA, THE OTTAWA TRIBE ) OF OKLAHOMA, THE PEORIA TRIBE OF ) INDIANS OF OKLAHOMA, THE SENECA- ) CAYUGA NATION, THE WYANDOTTE NATION, ) THE MIAMI TRIBE OF OKLAHOMA, ) and THE CHEROKEE NATION, ) Civil No. 3:18-cv-5097 ) Plaintiffs, ) ) v. ) NOTICE OF LODGING OF ) CONSENT DECREE BLUE TEE CORP., BROWN STRAUSS, INC., ) DAVID P. ALLDIAN, RICHARD A. SECRIST, ) and WILLIAM M. KELLY, ) ) Defendants. ) ____________________________________________) Plaintiff, the United States of America, respectfully informs the Court and all parties of the lodging of a consent decree in the above-captioned case. The proposed Decree is attached to this Notice as Exhibit A and no other action is required by the Court at this time. Final approval by the United States and entry of the consent decree is subject to the Department of Justice's requirements set forth at 28 C.F.R. § 50.7 which provides, inter alia, for notice of the lodging of these consent decrees in the Federal Register, an opportunity for public comment, and consideration of any comments. - 1 - Case 3:18-cv-05097-DPR Document 2 Filed 10/31/18 Page 1 of 3 After the close of the comment period and review of any new information by the Department of Justice, we will contact the Court with respect to any future action regarding the entry of this Consent Decree. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED, FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: JEFFREY H. -
Love Canal 1
L O V E C A N A L Center for Health, Environment and Justice P.O. Box 6806, Falls Church, Virginia 22040 Voice: 703-237-2249 - Email: [email protected] - Website: www.chej.org Fact Pack P001 Cover photo: Lois Gibbs and daughter Melissa 1979 For more information or to order copies of this publication contact: Center for Health, Environment and Justice P.O. Box 6806, Falls Church, Virginia 22040 Voice: 703-237-2249 - Email: [email protected] - Website: www.chej.org TABLE OF CONTENTS A History of Love Canal 1 Love Canal Homeowners Association 2 A Summary of Events 4 Remedial Construction Outside the Fence Community Health Studies 6 Miscarriages and Crib Deaths Birth Defects Nervous Breakdowns Urinary Tract Disorders Combined Health Disorders Key Dates of Events at Love Canal 13 Biography of Lois Gibbs 17 Formation of Center For Health, Environment and Justice 19 News Clips and Articles on Love Canal 20 Love Canal A HISTORY OF LOVE CANAL The history of Love Canal began in 1892 Homebuilding around the old canal also when William T. Love proposed connecting began in the 1950’s. However, homeowners the upper and lower Niagara River by were never given any warning or informa- digging a canal six to seven miles long. By tion that would indicate that the property was doing this, Love hoped to harness the water located near a chemical waste dump. Most of the upper Niagara River into a navigable families who moved into the area were channel, which would create a man-made unaware of the old landfill and its poisons. -
Love Canal Superfund Site City of Niagara Falls Niagara County, New York
Five-Year Review Report Love Canal Superfund Site City of Niagara Falls Niagara County, New York Prepared by U.S. Environmental Protection Agency September 2008 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This is the second five-year review for the Love Canal Superfund site (Site), located in the City ofNiagara Falls, Niagara County, New York. The primary selected remedies for the Site include the following: I) containment of wastes within the Love Canal landfill (LeL) via capping, leachate collection and treatment and long-tenn operation, maintenance and monitoring (OM&M) and 2) excavation, treatment and off-site disposal ofcontamination found in surrounding properties, sewers, creeks and other wastes. Nannal residential use is allowed for properties located within Areas 4 through 7 ofthe Emergency Declaration Area (EDA), surrounding the fenced LeL. Properties in the EDA Areas 1 through 3 are suitable for commercial or light industrial use. Based upon the results of this review, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency concludes that the remedies implemented at this Site adequately control exposures of Site contaminants to human and environmental receptors to the extent necessary for the protection ofhuman health and the environment. The continued OM&M at the Site ensures that there are no exposures of Site-related hazardous materials to human or environmental receptors. II Five-Year Review Summary Form Site name (from WasteLAN): love Canal EPA 10 (from WasteLAN): NYD000606947 NPL status: 0 Final • Deleted 0 Other (specify) Remediation status (choose all that -
OBG PRESENTS: Love Canal – History & Observations David J
OBG PRESENTS: Love Canal – History & Observations David J. Wilson CIH (1979-2012) October 2016 AGENDA History to 1978 Events 1978 to 1985 Remedial Actions Habitability Studies Health Studies Repopulation Personal Observations Reflections 2 Love Canal History to 1978 3 Niagara Falls, NY William T. Love 1890s Power Canal Canal 3,000 feet long, 100 feet wide, & 22 feet deep Canal dug 1,500 feet from Niagara River Project abandoned ~1900 Used for recreation until the 1940s Hooker Chemical, US Military & City of NF used canal for waste disposal from 1943 to 1953 21,800 Tons chemical waste 4 Sold by Hooker for $1, 1953 NF & NF Board with written restrictions of Education requested Soil cover placed on canal • Warning about buried chemicals title to property • DO NOT build on or next to the canal Love Canal Tier 1 total of 99 homes Three blocks (Tier 1) 99th Street School build on first and third blocks History… constructed directly 1954 on middle block around canal •230 Adults •134 Children 1953 to 1972 1972 - Tier 1-4 Residential structures completed •800 Single family homes •240 Low income apartments 5 Tier 1-4 EDA Location Map 6 First & Second Blocks of Love Canal 7 First Block of Love Canal 8 Mid 1970s Odors detected from canal Canal cover soils sinking Sheens on house basement sump water surfaces Drums surfacing in canal area 1976 Calspan Corp. conducts survey and recommendations: LOVE CANAL HISTORY . Place a clay cap on canal fill area . Seal house basement sumps . Install tile drainage along canal 9 Love Canal Events 1978 – 1985 10 April 1978 NF Newspaper article series on hazardous wastes LC Residents express concern to NYSDOH NYSDOH confirms public health hazard at LC May 1978 NYSDOH meets with LC residents NYSDOH issues first of three orders LOVE CANALLOVE EVENTS . -
Ground-Water Flow Model of the Boone Formation at the Tar Creek Superfund Site, Oklahoma and Kansas
Ground-Water Flow Model of the Boone Formation at the Tar Creek Superfund Site, Oklahoma and Kansas Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VI Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5097 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey Front cover: View looking west from top of chat pile on east side of the town of Picher, Okla- homa, overlooking the town and the adjacent chat piles derived from decades of lead-zinc mining. Photograph by John B. Czarnecki, U.S. Geological Survey. Ground-Water Flow Model of the Boone Formation at the Tar Creek Superfund Site, Oklahoma and Kansas By T.B. Reed and John B. Czarnecki Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region VI Scientific Investigations Report 2006-5097 U.S. Department of the Interior U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Department of the Interior P. Lynn Scarlett, Acting Secretary U.S. Geological Survey P. Patrick Leahy, Acting Director U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2006 For sale by U.S. Geological Survey, Information Services Box 25286, Denver Federal Center Denver, CO 80225 For more information about the USGS and its products: Telephone: 1-888-ASK-USGS World Wide Web: http://www.usgs.gov/ Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to repro- duce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. iii Contents Abstract.....................................................................................................................................................................................................