3 years after initial discovery, Alabama residents finally learn of lead contamination

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

3 years after initial discovery, Alabama residents finally learn of lead contamination

July 29, 2007 - First Avenue Park seemed to have everything for the close knit community nearby open spaces to play, ball fields and plenty of room for having fun.

But the recent disclosure of lead contamination discovered in the park has residents worried.

First Avenue residents first learned of the lead contamination when EPA officials approached them in May about testing the soil in their yards even though documents obtained by The Daily Home show officials with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management knew of the lead contamination more than three years ago. No records could be located showing that ADEM ever informed residents living around the foundry of their test findings.

More . . .

1 comment:

Butterfly said...: Hello, I live in an old rowhome in Philadelphia. Over the past three years, the vacant lot that was between my home and the train track and train stop was dug up and they are building townhouses. I started to get very ill, weak, unfocused. lots 30 Ilbs without three months and couldn't function at all. Finally I had to go the emergency room because I wasn't breathing properly and doctors told me to stay away from the house. Philadelphia is notorious for brownfields and political protection of developers, so I have had a lot of problems trying to get help. I did discover that the site had been an active coal yard and a gasoline station for coal trucks. One of those tanks had a history of leaking. Also they would fill the tank form the train and when the oil spilled into the ground they knew the tank was full.

Other issues where a contractors yard and brick company and automobile place. A neighbor came to me and told me that in the 8o's he had worked on the site and every day they would dump vats of oil and fluids from the cement trucks and hydrolic lifts straight into the ground. The city knew I was displaced and had been in the hospital. they even came out and ordered a dirt removal of contaminated dirt but they did not tell me or the neighbors. The smell was very strong at that time. Another problem is that there at been a fire that burned three homes next to me and they probably had oil tanks.

Other people did smell the smell but I was the only one living there and getting really sick, so the city is just saying I am crazy. Even though they removed some of the dirt ( though not under watch any of environmental protection agency) I still can't live in my house. I know I probably got too over exposed at the beginning and now I am super sensitive. This makes it look like I am crazy too. However, other people have come to my house and been ill within a hour. Others don't have any problem at all.

I really need to get a good test done. I am doing this on my own and don't have much money but I know there I something there. It may be very slight or subtle by now, but its still there.

If you have an answer for the best way for me to find what I am smelling, please let me know.

Much of the story with all the political refusal to help is here. www.greenuptoxicphiladelphia.com

Thank you,

Margaret Motheral
wildmoth@earthlink.net; November 15, 2008 at 9:29 PM