May 30, 2007 - (AP) - Officials in Murfreesboro are testing the city's water for radioactive material. This follows reports of large amounts of low-level radioactive waste being dumped in a landfill upstream from the water supply.
The tests are in response to a recent WSMV TV investigative report that found more than ten million pounds of low-level radioactive waste from all over the country was dumped at BFI Middle Point Landfill in 2005. This was up from 166,000 pounds a year earlier.
More . . .
Water Contamination, Land Pollution & Hazardous Waste Material are issues families all across America are afflicted with daily.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
PFCs have been found in drinking water supplies in more than a half dozen Twin Cities suburbs near former 3M dump sites
May 30, 2007 - St. Paul, Minn. — The PFCs are also contaminating water supplies in other parts of the country, including West Virginia and Ohio, near a DuPont production plant that manufactured the chemicals.
Officials with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention met with more than 100 people in Minnesota Wednesday, including state lawmakers, government researchers and environmental groups.
Many in the audience said they were pleased to finally hear from the agencies. But some were also frustrated with the pace of the federal response.
The EPA's Mary Dominiak began her talk by warning the audience that they were not going to hear any definitive answers from the federal agency on human health risks from PFC exposure -- even though the EPA has been investigating the stain and water-resistant chemicals for the past seven years.
More . . .
Officials with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention met with more than 100 people in Minnesota Wednesday, including state lawmakers, government researchers and environmental groups.
Many in the audience said they were pleased to finally hear from the agencies. But some were also frustrated with the pace of the federal response.
The EPA's Mary Dominiak began her talk by warning the audience that they were not going to hear any definitive answers from the federal agency on human health risks from PFC exposure -- even though the EPA has been investigating the stain and water-resistant chemicals for the past seven years.
More . . .
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Cause of water contamination that sickened more than 100 people in Spencer, MA found
May 2, 2007 - The water contamination in Spencer that sickened more than 100 people last week was caused by treatment plant workers who forgot to flip a switch when they left for the night, state environmental officials said Wednesday.
The lapse let 34 gallons of undiluted lye seep into the drinking water supply for this central Massachusetts town, prompting a two-day water ban that shut down businesses and disrupted the lives of thousands of residents.
More . . .
The lapse let 34 gallons of undiluted lye seep into the drinking water supply for this central Massachusetts town, prompting a two-day water ban that shut down businesses and disrupted the lives of thousands of residents.
More . . .
Arizona resident believes soil contamination is causing health problems
May 30, 2007 - ohn Stoddard says he was healthy when he bought 40 acres bordered by Aravaipa and Laurel creeks near Klondyke in 1995, but by 2002 he was declared disabled.
Today, Stoddard, 54, has a variety of physical ailments and wonders if the high concentration of lead in the soil near his home could be the cause of pain and stiffness in his joints and numbness and tingling in his fingers and toes.
Blood tests show he has lead and arsenic in his blood, but not at toxic levels. Stoddard said the blood tests do not indicate how much lead has been absorbed by organs in his body, and further testing is needed.
An Arizona Department of Environmental Quality report from April 25 shows that most surface soil on residential property near two mine tailings piles in Aravaipa Canyon contain high levels of lead. The report states the lead concentration is more than the remediation level of 400 parts-per-million.
More . . .
Today, Stoddard, 54, has a variety of physical ailments and wonders if the high concentration of lead in the soil near his home could be the cause of pain and stiffness in his joints and numbness and tingling in his fingers and toes.
Blood tests show he has lead and arsenic in his blood, but not at toxic levels. Stoddard said the blood tests do not indicate how much lead has been absorbed by organs in his body, and further testing is needed.
An Arizona Department of Environmental Quality report from April 25 shows that most surface soil on residential property near two mine tailings piles in Aravaipa Canyon contain high levels of lead. The report states the lead concentration is more than the remediation level of 400 parts-per-million.
More . . .
Large drinking-water well closed by contamination in Los Angeles
May 28, 2007 - LOS ANGELES (AP) — City officials have shut down a drinking-water well due to contamination.
The closure near the Bob Hope Airport means the city for the first time cannot tap into the full reservoir and must pay to import water at a price tag of $7.3 million.
"It's a tragedy that we're not taking full advantage of our vast aquifer," said H. David Nahai, president of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners.
More . . .
The closure near the Bob Hope Airport means the city for the first time cannot tap into the full reservoir and must pay to import water at a price tag of $7.3 million.
"It's a tragedy that we're not taking full advantage of our vast aquifer," said H. David Nahai, president of the Board of Water and Power Commissioners.
More . . .
Pennsylvania Residents Fear a Flood of Toxic Waste
May 29, 2007 - At the entrance to the property, a low brick building squats behind a chain-link fence, and leafy trees sway in the breeze.
There's nothing overtly menacing. But Donna Cuthbert is frightened.
Not by the offices at the old Occidental chemical plant in Lower Pottsgrove, but by what lies beyond, closer to the banks of the Schuylkill: landfills and man-made lagoons that hold decades of industrial refuse, including vinyl chloride, a carcinogen, and dioxin, one of the world's most lethal substances.
"It's very clear that something is wrong. The question is if someone is going to do anything about it," said Cuthbert, who with her husband leads the Alliance for a Clean Environment, based in Stowe.
More . . .
There's nothing overtly menacing. But Donna Cuthbert is frightened.
Not by the offices at the old Occidental chemical plant in Lower Pottsgrove, but by what lies beyond, closer to the banks of the Schuylkill: landfills and man-made lagoons that hold decades of industrial refuse, including vinyl chloride, a carcinogen, and dioxin, one of the world's most lethal substances.
"It's very clear that something is wrong. The question is if someone is going to do anything about it," said Cuthbert, who with her husband leads the Alliance for a Clean Environment, based in Stowe.
More . . .
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Bucolic looks hide threats in Michigan
May 29, 2007 - FOREST TWP. - The dirt road winds past wide green lawns where tire swings dangle from trees. Up on a hill, a woman in a straw sombrero whacks weeds while a large black dog lounges in the sun.
But tucked behind the lilac bushes, plastic well-head pipes poke up like daisies in the fields - the only visible clue that something here is deeply, darkly wrong.
It's been 24 years since the old Forest Waste Disposal landfill was deemed a Superfund site - among the nation's worst toxic waste sites targeted for cleanup by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
More . . .
But tucked behind the lilac bushes, plastic well-head pipes poke up like daisies in the fields - the only visible clue that something here is deeply, darkly wrong.
It's been 24 years since the old Forest Waste Disposal landfill was deemed a Superfund site - among the nation's worst toxic waste sites targeted for cleanup by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
More . . .
Maryland family fights for clean water, clean record
May 29, 2007 - The Kelseys paid $350 for Fredericktowne Labs to test their water, and had results within three days. The water from their Cameron Court home tested positive for petroleum compounds methyl-tertiary butyl ether and benzene, a known carcinogen, in the amounts of 46 parts per billion and 329 ppb, respectively.
The state takes corrective action when groundwater is contaminated with MTBE at or above 20 ppb and benzene at 5 ppb.
The family lives within a few hundred yards of the Green Valley Citgo at 11791 Fingerboard Road, which is under investigation for groundwater contamination.
More . . .
The state takes corrective action when groundwater is contaminated with MTBE at or above 20 ppb and benzene at 5 ppb.
The family lives within a few hundred yards of the Green Valley Citgo at 11791 Fingerboard Road, which is under investigation for groundwater contamination.
More . . .
Special fund to begin flowing to protect New York homes hit by toxic plume
May 27, 2007 - Installation of ventilation systems to protect against toxic vapors, paid for by a special state Senate grant, should begin soon in a pocket of western Victor.
A number of homeowners have been contacted this week about the systems, and a contractor has set dates for home visits or system installation, said Victor town finance director Michael Dollard.
More . . .
A number of homeowners have been contacted this week about the systems, and a contractor has set dates for home visits or system installation, said Victor town finance director Michael Dollard.
More . . .
Saturday, May 26, 2007
Common chemicals pose danger for fetuses, scientists warn
May 25, 2007 - Los Angeles Times
Exposure to toxic materials in the womb can cause health problems later in life, an international panel declares.
In a strongly worded declaration, many of the world's leading environmental scientists warned Thursday that exposure to common chemicals makes babies more likely to develop an array of health problems later in life, including diabetes, attention deficit disorders, prostate cancer, fertility problems, thyroid disorders and even obesity.
The declaration by about 200 scientists from five continents amounts to a vote of confidence in a growing body of evidence that humans are vulnerable to long-term harm from toxic exposures in the womb and during their first years.
More . . .
Exposure to toxic materials in the womb can cause health problems later in life, an international panel declares.
In a strongly worded declaration, many of the world's leading environmental scientists warned Thursday that exposure to common chemicals makes babies more likely to develop an array of health problems later in life, including diabetes, attention deficit disorders, prostate cancer, fertility problems, thyroid disorders and even obesity.
The declaration by about 200 scientists from five continents amounts to a vote of confidence in a growing body of evidence that humans are vulnerable to long-term harm from toxic exposures in the womb and during their first years.
More . . .
New Jersey school district officials learned of the contamination in January, but did not send a letter home to parents until late May
May 26, 2007 - PARAMUS -- A state environmental inspector visited West Brook Middle School on Thursday after learning contaminated soil had been improperly stored there.
On Wednesday, the soil, which contains pesticides at levels up to 39 times the state safety standards, was not covered properly. School district officials learned of the contamination in January, but did not send a letter home to parents until Thursday.
More . . .
On Wednesday, the soil, which contains pesticides at levels up to 39 times the state safety standards, was not covered properly. School district officials learned of the contamination in January, but did not send a letter home to parents until Thursday.
More . . .
PA DEP Secretary Says Vital Environmental Cleanup Program Needs Dedicated Funding to Protect Public Health, Revitalize Communities
MALVERN, Pa., May 25 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- During a visit to the former Bishop Tube site in Chester County, Environmental Protection Secretary Kathleen A. McGinty talked about the importance of a program that helps the state respond to environmental emergencies, clean contaminated sites, protect the public's health and promote economic growth.
The Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund -- commonly referred to as HSCA, or Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act -- has been without a dedicated funding source since 2002, and a one-time allocation of $50 million from the Environmental Stewardship Fund under Growing Greener II will soon be depleted.
More . . .
The Hazardous Sites Cleanup Fund -- commonly referred to as HSCA, or Hazardous Sites Cleanup Act -- has been without a dedicated funding source since 2002, and a one-time allocation of $50 million from the Environmental Stewardship Fund under Growing Greener II will soon be depleted.
More . . .
Thursday, May 24, 2007
BodyBurden: The Pollution in Newborns
A benchmark investigation of industrial chemicals, pollutants and pesticides in umbilical cord blood
Not long ago scientists thought that the placenta shielded cord blood — and the developing baby — from most chemicals and pollutants in the environment. But now we know that at this critical time when organs, vessels, membranes and systems are knit together from single cells to finished form in a span of weeks, the umbilical cord carries not only the building blocks of life, but also a steady stream of industrial chemicals, pollutants and pesticides that cross the placenta as readily as residues from cigarettes and alcohol. This is the human "body burden" — the pollution in people that permeates everyone in the world, including babies in the womb.More . . .
With focus on climate, funding to clean ground and water contamination dwindles
May 23, 2007 - “Certainly, clean air has taken a precedence over clean water,” said David Dedian, vice president of Woodard & Curran, the firm hired by state and federal authorities 25 years ago to take care of groundwater contamination at Keefe.
Keefe is part of Superfund, a federal program implemented to handle the worst-of-the-worst chemical spills in the country.
More . . .
Keefe is part of Superfund, a federal program implemented to handle the worst-of-the-worst chemical spills in the country.
More . . .
Missouri housewife argues contamination case before state Supreme Court, and wins!
May 23, 2007 - Just less than a decade ago, the Eatons purchased a home in Hematite.
They loved the woodsy feel of the area, and the spacious lot on which their home sat.
It all seemed idyllic--until Clarissa Eaton came home and saw an ominous note posted on her front door.
"There was a note on our front door telling us not to drink the water," Eaton said. "We were horrified."
Several homes in the neighborhood received the same note, and cases of bottled water.
The donor?
The owners of a nuclear fuel processing plant situated down the road.
While the water contamination originated from solvents, and was not radiological in nature, the Eatons were badly shaken by the disclosure.
"We didn't know the plant existed," she said. "We couldn't believe it. We didn't want to believe it."
More . . .
They loved the woodsy feel of the area, and the spacious lot on which their home sat.
It all seemed idyllic--until Clarissa Eaton came home and saw an ominous note posted on her front door.
"There was a note on our front door telling us not to drink the water," Eaton said. "We were horrified."
Several homes in the neighborhood received the same note, and cases of bottled water.
The donor?
The owners of a nuclear fuel processing plant situated down the road.
While the water contamination originated from solvents, and was not radiological in nature, the Eatons were badly shaken by the disclosure.
"We didn't know the plant existed," she said. "We couldn't believe it. We didn't want to believe it."
More . . .
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Texas Town Confronts Water Contamination
May 22, 2007 - Studies performed at the city-owned T-Bar Ranch well field have found elevated levels of chlorides in the water which city officials believe may have resulted from an oil and gas company that maintains a saltwater disposal facility and evaporation pit nearby.
Today, the City Council will consider authorizing the filing of a complaint with the Texas Railroad Commission against Heritage Standard Company in order to positively determine whether any of the company's activities have resulted in contamination of the city's future water supply and to ensure that steps are taken to alleviate the problem.
More . . .
Today, the City Council will consider authorizing the filing of a complaint with the Texas Railroad Commission against Heritage Standard Company in order to positively determine whether any of the company's activities have resulted in contamination of the city's future water supply and to ensure that steps are taken to alleviate the problem.
More . . .
Air Force Drops Plan to Clean Toxic-pits at Old McClellan Base
May 21, 2007 - The Defense Department plans to skip cleanup of the largest and most hazardous waste sites at the former McClellan Air Force Base as it transfers the old graves of radioactive and toxic junk to private development.
State health officials say the plan is unacceptable and are calling for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to intervene.
Air Force officials were surprised to find as many as 43 deteriorating barrels of high-level radioactive waste in a 2000-02 excavation of one site, according to a state health review of the proposal obtained by The Bee.
More . . .
State health officials say the plan is unacceptable and are calling for the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission to intervene.
Air Force officials were surprised to find as many as 43 deteriorating barrels of high-level radioactive waste in a 2000-02 excavation of one site, according to a state health review of the proposal obtained by The Bee.
More . . .
Environmental Data Resources Inc. Survey Finds Homebuyers Considering Environmental Contamination as Influential Factor in Purchasing Decision
May 22, 2007 - Real estate professionals are seeingan increase in homebuyer awareness of environmental contamination and findmore homebuyers searching for critical environmental information before apurchase, according to a survey released today by Environmental DataResources, Inc. (EDR), the nation's leading provider of environmental riskinformation.
A survey of 150 real estate professionals who attended the NationalAssociation of Realtors 2007 Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo fromMay 15 through May 19, 2007, in Washington D.C., identified that potentialhomebuyers are increasingly concerned about environmental hazards and moreREALTORS(R) are ready to provide an in-depth investigation of thehistorical environmental information from a neighborhood.
More . . .
A survey of 150 real estate professionals who attended the NationalAssociation of Realtors 2007 Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo fromMay 15 through May 19, 2007, in Washington D.C., identified that potentialhomebuyers are increasingly concerned about environmental hazards and moreREALTORS(R) are ready to provide an in-depth investigation of thehistorical environmental information from a neighborhood.
More . . .
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Westchester legislators pass new well-testing regulations
May 22, 2007 - Home buyers should know what they're getting - and drinking - when a property that depends on a private well changes hands, the Westchester County Board of Legislators decided last night.
The board unanimously approved a law that would require a home's seller to pay to have the well tested before the sale is completed. The bill, originally proposed by County Executive Andrew Spano, also requires testing of wells at rental properties.
While public water supplies are tested regularly for signs of contamination, there have been no such requirements for private wells in the county until now. About 20,000 households, mostly in the northern part of Westchester, use private wells for their drinking water.
More . . .
The board unanimously approved a law that would require a home's seller to pay to have the well tested before the sale is completed. The bill, originally proposed by County Executive Andrew Spano, also requires testing of wells at rental properties.
While public water supplies are tested regularly for signs of contamination, there have been no such requirements for private wells in the county until now. About 20,000 households, mostly in the northern part of Westchester, use private wells for their drinking water.
More . . .
Is Thorium Still in the Ground of West Chicago?
May 22, 2007 - Sandy Riess has watched three of her dogs die in the past six months.
Sailor, a 7-year-old Newfoundland, died in December of undetermined causes. Four months later, two Saint Bernards, Oscar and Siren, ages 10 and 11, succumbed to bone cancer within a week of each another.
More . . .
Sailor, a 7-year-old Newfoundland, died in December of undetermined causes. Four months later, two Saint Bernards, Oscar and Siren, ages 10 and 11, succumbed to bone cancer within a week of each another.
More . . .
No one, including government agencies or uranium mining companies, ever told the families about the toxic and radioactive conditions in the area
May 21, 2007 - CHURCH ROCK — Twenty-seven years ago, the dam in Church Rock burst, spilling more than 1,100 tons of radioactive mill waste and 90 million gallons of contaminated liquid into the ground.
It was the worst uranium accident in U.S. history.
More . . .
It was the worst uranium accident in U.S. history.
More . . .
Monday, May 21, 2007
Contamination Plume Under California Town
May 21, 2007 - Buried deep beneath mounds of dust and landfill in the city of Rialto, California lies a legacy some wish could stay buried forever. But that legacy—a chemical left over from spent rocket fuel—has now surfaced as a potentially dangerous pollutant in drinking water.
That chemical is perchlorate, an ion present in salts. Since perchlorate was detected in water wells near Rialto in 1997, residents have been paying to remove it from their drinking water.
In this primarily black and Latino city of 100,000, families pay as much as an extra 15 percent on their water bills as a "perchlorate surcharge." So far these charges have added up to $6.6 million since 2002.
More . . .
That chemical is perchlorate, an ion present in salts. Since perchlorate was detected in water wells near Rialto in 1997, residents have been paying to remove it from their drinking water.
In this primarily black and Latino city of 100,000, families pay as much as an extra 15 percent on their water bills as a "perchlorate surcharge." So far these charges have added up to $6.6 million since 2002.
More . . .
Leukemia in Fallon, NV
I recently found a great public health blog called Angry Toxicologist. Below is a posting that should be of particular interest to Contaminated Nation readers.
Why is there so much leukemia in Fallon, NV?
By AngryToxicologist May 15, 2007
The city of Fallon (pop. 7,536) is in Churchill County, NV. It is surrounded by melon and alfalfa fields, a Naval Air Station, and two tungsten refining operations. It also has a lot of childhood leukemia.
More . . .
Why is there so much leukemia in Fallon, NV?
By AngryToxicologist May 15, 2007
The city of Fallon (pop. 7,536) is in Churchill County, NV. It is surrounded by melon and alfalfa fields, a Naval Air Station, and two tungsten refining operations. It also has a lot of childhood leukemia.
More . . .
Methane contaminated ground in Colorado to be cleaned two years after home explodes
May 20, 2007 - DENVER - Cleanup efforts will begin next month on a methane-contaminated patch of ground near Bondad, where a home exploded two years ago.
An investigation blamed an old gas well known as the Bryce 1-X, which was drilled and abandoned before World War II. Methane had been leaking into the soil ever since, and in February 2005, it accumulated under the home of Charles Yoakum, causing an explosion that destroyed his house. Yoakum was injured but survived.
More . . .
An investigation blamed an old gas well known as the Bryce 1-X, which was drilled and abandoned before World War II. Methane had been leaking into the soil ever since, and in February 2005, it accumulated under the home of Charles Yoakum, causing an explosion that destroyed his house. Yoakum was injured but survived.
More . . .
$500M residential development could still be tainted after cleanup
May 20, 2007 - A developer is weeks from breaking ground on more than 700 homes at the former Curtiss-Wright engine plant, six years after the site was sold with a deed restriction that made it clear: People cannot live here.
The work on the $500 million Wesmont Station neighborhood in Wood-Ridge will begin amid a continuing cleanup that so far has cost at least $27.5 million. The state Department of Environmental Protection has given the developer approval to build in phases, using a clean-as-you-go approach, and some areas are in fact considered up to residential standards.
But DEP and other public records obtained by The Record indicate there are questions about the cancer-causing contaminants left in a former landfill and in other yet-to-be-approved areas where housing is planned. The pollutants also are in nearby groundwater.
More . . .
The work on the $500 million Wesmont Station neighborhood in Wood-Ridge will begin amid a continuing cleanup that so far has cost at least $27.5 million. The state Department of Environmental Protection has given the developer approval to build in phases, using a clean-as-you-go approach, and some areas are in fact considered up to residential standards.
But DEP and other public records obtained by The Record indicate there are questions about the cancer-causing contaminants left in a former landfill and in other yet-to-be-approved areas where housing is planned. The pollutants also are in nearby groundwater.
More . . .
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Benzene Vapor Intrusion in Pennsylvania
May 17, 2007 - The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) this week ordered Getty Realty Corp. and Getty Petroleum Marketing to investigate and correct soil and groundwater contamination from three underground storage tanks at the Getty gas station located at 2100 Market St., Linwood, Penn.
The administrative order also makes provisions for monitoring and mitigating air quality issues. Many homes have been monitored for petroleum vapors since 2005. In June of that year, DEP received the results of indoor air sampling tests that were conducted at two residences near the station. The sampling tests found an elevated level of benzene, a gasoline additive and known carcinogen, in one of the homes.
More . . .
The administrative order also makes provisions for monitoring and mitigating air quality issues. Many homes have been monitored for petroleum vapors since 2005. In June of that year, DEP received the results of indoor air sampling tests that were conducted at two residences near the station. The sampling tests found an elevated level of benzene, a gasoline additive and known carcinogen, in one of the homes.
More . . .
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Vermont Supreme Court: Homebuyers Who Weren't Told About Contamination Were Defrauded
May 19, 2007 - The Vermont Supreme Court has ruled that the owners of a Killington home were consumer fraud victims in 2000 when a real estate company failed to inform them that the property they were buying had a water supply tainted by a gasoline spill.
The home was one of 36 in the area with water supplies contaminated by MTBE or other contaminants. MTBE is a chemical compound once widely used as a fuel additive, according to an environmental report supplied by the state.
The compound reached the supplies following a 1993 gasoline leak from a 275-gallon underground storage tank at the Summit Lodge on Killington Road, according to Bob Haslam, a senior envirionmental analyst in the firm's Hazardous Waste Division.
More . . .
The home was one of 36 in the area with water supplies contaminated by MTBE or other contaminants. MTBE is a chemical compound once widely used as a fuel additive, according to an environmental report supplied by the state.
The compound reached the supplies following a 1993 gasoline leak from a 275-gallon underground storage tank at the Summit Lodge on Killington Road, according to Bob Haslam, a senior envirionmental analyst in the firm's Hazardous Waste Division.
More . . .
Health Officials Offer Few Answers to Residents of Oregon Towns
May 18, 2007 - Tiny pieces of the pollution puzzle were all state health officials could offer to residents of the Trainsong, Bethel and River Road neighbor- hoods Thursday evening.
Health officials couldn't say whether any of the dozen polluted industrial sites ringing the neighborhoods are connected with ill health, whether the environment there is improving or worsening, or what was going on to explain the pattern of illness.
More . . .
Health officials couldn't say whether any of the dozen polluted industrial sites ringing the neighborhoods are connected with ill health, whether the environment there is improving or worsening, or what was going on to explain the pattern of illness.
More . . .
Friday, May 18, 2007
Chromium in drinking water causes cancer: U.S. agency
Looks like Erin Brockovich was right.
May 17, 2007 - LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A type of chromium highlighted in the film "Erin Brockovich" causes cancer in lab animals when they drink it in water, and it could be harmful to people, the U.S. National Institutes of Health said on Wednesday.
Hexavalent chromium, also called chromium 6, already has been shown to cause lung cancer when inhaled and is controlled by the Environmental Protection Agency as well as by states.
More . . .
May 17, 2007 - LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - A type of chromium highlighted in the film "Erin Brockovich" causes cancer in lab animals when they drink it in water, and it could be harmful to people, the U.S. National Institutes of Health said on Wednesday.
Hexavalent chromium, also called chromium 6, already has been shown to cause lung cancer when inhaled and is controlled by the Environmental Protection Agency as well as by states.
More . . .
PERC found in SE Queens' drinking water
May 17, 2007 - So far, DEP has surveyed about 400 businesses in the area in its attempt to find out how PERC found its way into the area's drinking water, Michaels said.
The area where drinking water was affected is home to some 64,000 residents, according to the city.
More . . .
The area where drinking water was affected is home to some 64,000 residents, according to the city.
More . . .
Mercury Contamination in Killingly Connecticut
(Killingly, Conn. - March 30, 2007) – The Northeast District Department of Health (NDDH) continues to work closely with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regarding mercury contamination discovered on Putnam Road in Killingly.
“Our involvement is to monitor the situation for any potential public health implications,” reported Linda J. Colangelo, Public Information Officer for NDDH. “At this time, we have not received any reports of illness associated with the contamination. The investigation is on-going and the EPA and DEP are currently conducting air monitoring tests and analyzing surface water samples and soil data in the affected area.”
More . . .
“Our involvement is to monitor the situation for any potential public health implications,” reported Linda J. Colangelo, Public Information Officer for NDDH. “At this time, we have not received any reports of illness associated with the contamination. The investigation is on-going and the EPA and DEP are currently conducting air monitoring tests and analyzing surface water samples and soil data in the affected area.”
More . . .
Tar Creek Pollution Affects Three States and Now Possibly Grand Lake
May 18, 2007 - Pollution of the Tar Creek watershed is so widespread that it affects three states and possibly Grand Lake, a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency official said Thursday during a public conference.
More . . .
More . . .
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Study: Industrial Pollution Begins in Womb
A benchmark investigation of industrial chemicals, pollutants and pesticides in umbilical cord blood
In the month leading up to a baby's birth, the umbilical cord pulses with the equivalent of at least 300 quarts of blood each day, pumped back and forth from the nutrient- and oxygen-rich placenta to the rapidly growing child cradled in a sac of amniotic fluid. This cord is a lifeline between mother and baby, bearing nutrients that sustain life and propel growth.
Not long ago scientists thought that the placenta shielded cord blood — and the developing baby — from most chemicals and pollutants in the environment. But now we know that at this critical time when organs, vessels, membranes and systems are knit together from single cells to finished form in a span of weeks, the umbilical cord carries not only the building blocks of life, but also a steady stream of industrial chemicals, pollutants and pesticides that cross the placenta as readily as residues from cigarettes and alcohol. This is the human "body burden" — the pollution in people that permeates everyone in the world, including babies in the womb.
More . . .
In the month leading up to a baby's birth, the umbilical cord pulses with the equivalent of at least 300 quarts of blood each day, pumped back and forth from the nutrient- and oxygen-rich placenta to the rapidly growing child cradled in a sac of amniotic fluid. This cord is a lifeline between mother and baby, bearing nutrients that sustain life and propel growth.
Not long ago scientists thought that the placenta shielded cord blood — and the developing baby — from most chemicals and pollutants in the environment. But now we know that at this critical time when organs, vessels, membranes and systems are knit together from single cells to finished form in a span of weeks, the umbilical cord carries not only the building blocks of life, but also a steady stream of industrial chemicals, pollutants and pesticides that cross the placenta as readily as residues from cigarettes and alcohol. This is the human "body burden" — the pollution in people that permeates everyone in the world, including babies in the womb.
More . . .
DeLand, FL Residents Believe Contaminated Wells Led to Illnesses
May 17, 2007 - When Sandra Holt's Boston terrier began having seizures in 2004, she chalked it up to chance.
After her son Johnathon, then 3, began having seizures, she wondered if it was something worse.
She suspected pollution in her well after neighbors received letters from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection warning that contamination from the old Sherwood Medical Industries manufacturing plant had been found nearby. The plant -- one of Central Florida's most polluted sites -- is about a mile from her home.
More . . .
After her son Johnathon, then 3, began having seizures, she wondered if it was something worse.
She suspected pollution in her well after neighbors received letters from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection warning that contamination from the old Sherwood Medical Industries manufacturing plant had been found nearby. The plant -- one of Central Florida's most polluted sites -- is about a mile from her home.
More . . .
Victor, NY Residents to Get Help Dealing with Vapor Intrusion
May 17, 2007 - Stepping in where New York's executive branch has not, a state senator pledged to provide a $50,000 grant to pay for health-related work in a portion of Victor beset by contaminated groundwater.
State Sen. Michael Nozzolio said Wednesday that the money would pay for testing and for installation of home ventilation systems to protect against intrusion by toxic vapors.
More . . .Sacramento Community Grapples with Truth of Asbestos Contamination Threat
May 17, 2007 - In the fall of 2004, agents from the Environmental Protection Agency descended on El Dorado Hills in respirators and protective suits and headed for a town park. There, they began playing as children would—tossing baseballs, kicking soccer balls, biking, and running. All the while, they took air samples, and all the while they were quietly watched by the citizens of El Dorado Hills.
The civic leaders of El Dorado Hills had spent many months trying to stave off these tests, scrambling to protect the community not from potentially toxic substances, but from the epa's potentially toxic information.
More . . .Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Is the Superfund Program Dead?
May 15, 2007 - Tucked away on the westernmost edge of the Florida panhandle, Escambia County is a Republican stronghold whose beaches attract droves of tourists each year, earning it the cheery tagline: "The western gate to the Sunshine State, where thousands live like millions wish they could."
But no paradise would be complete without a dirty little secret, and Escambia has that, too: For more than a decade, toxins from two of the county's now-defunct wood-preserving plants have gone largely untreated. At the site of Escambia Treating Co., 255,000 cubic yards of soil containing creosote and PCP lie under a tarp behind a chain-link fence. At least that much contaminated dirt has been detected in the neighborhood across the street, forcing residents to flee the area.
More . . .
But no paradise would be complete without a dirty little secret, and Escambia has that, too: For more than a decade, toxins from two of the county's now-defunct wood-preserving plants have gone largely untreated. At the site of Escambia Treating Co., 255,000 cubic yards of soil containing creosote and PCP lie under a tarp behind a chain-link fence. At least that much contaminated dirt has been detected in the neighborhood across the street, forcing residents to flee the area.
More . . .
Pesticide Spraying on Farms Impacts Neighboring Residents
May 16, 2007 - THE SPRAYING starts at night, tractors pulling fans that blow the neurotoxin over the tops of dense, leafy orange trees.
The trees surround this tiny farm community deep in the San Joaquin Valley. The chlorpyrifos — banned for domestic use since 2000 yet still used widely on crops — falls like a lethal mist, first paralyzing, then killing insects seeking a portion of Tulare County's $4.3 billion in agriculture sales.
But the nights are hot, the fans are powerful, and the mist travels.
And so, invariably, swamp coolers straining against the smoggy heat pull the poison into Lindsay homes.
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The trees surround this tiny farm community deep in the San Joaquin Valley. The chlorpyrifos — banned for domestic use since 2000 yet still used widely on crops — falls like a lethal mist, first paralyzing, then killing insects seeking a portion of Tulare County's $4.3 billion in agriculture sales.
But the nights are hot, the fans are powerful, and the mist travels.
And so, invariably, swamp coolers straining against the smoggy heat pull the poison into Lindsay homes.
More . . .
Keyport, New Jersey Homes to be Tested for Contamination
May 16, 2007 - KEYPORT - Is there a giant leaking oil tanker under your house? A new committee aims to find out.
Mayor Robert Bergen recently chose resident Lynn Kosobucki to act as chairwoman of the 29-member citizens group. Originally formed last May under the guidance of Kenneth Kloo and Ian Curts of the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the committee will oversee state-funded investigations to help interested residents learn if there is any environmental contamination on their property.
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Mayor Robert Bergen recently chose resident Lynn Kosobucki to act as chairwoman of the 29-member citizens group. Originally formed last May under the guidance of Kenneth Kloo and Ian Curts of the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the committee will oversee state-funded investigations to help interested residents learn if there is any environmental contamination on their property.
More . . .
Monday, May 14, 2007
Ohio Family Forced Out Of Home By Meth Contamination
May 14, 2007 - CINCINNATI -- A mother and her children will remain out of their home until federal and local investigators can determine if their home is safe.
Cynthia Wilson said health investigators are testing the house on Lawrenceburg Road in North Bend for contamination from a methamphetamine lab.
Wilson said she reported the problem after she and her children suffered severe breathing and other health problems.
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Cynthia Wilson said health investigators are testing the house on Lawrenceburg Road in North Bend for contamination from a methamphetamine lab.
Wilson said she reported the problem after she and her children suffered severe breathing and other health problems.
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Exposure to chemicals, not family history, cause vast majority of breast cancer cases
May 14, 2007 - More than 200 chemicals — many found in urban air and everyday consumer products — cause breast cancer in animal tests, according to a compilation of scientific reports published today.
Writing in a publication of the American Cancer Society, researchers concluded that reducing exposure to the compounds could prevent many women from developing the disease.
The research team from five institutions analyzed a growing body of evidence linking environmental contaminants to breast cancer, the leading killer of U.S. women in their late 30s to early 50s.
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Writing in a publication of the American Cancer Society, researchers concluded that reducing exposure to the compounds could prevent many women from developing the disease.
The research team from five institutions analyzed a growing body of evidence linking environmental contaminants to breast cancer, the leading killer of U.S. women in their late 30s to early 50s.
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Contaminated property owners in Niagara New York get a tax break
May 13, 2007 - Owning a piece of contaminated property in Niagara County can come with a silver lining.
You might have to pay cleanup costs. You might have a hard time selling.
But look at the bright side: You won’t have to pay your property taxes.
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You might have to pay cleanup costs. You might have a hard time selling.
But look at the bright side: You won’t have to pay your property taxes.
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20 years later, Clinton New York site to be cleaned
May 13, 2007 - CLINTON — Toxic chemicals have sat untouched in the soil of a former pest control company site on McBride Avenue for two decades.
Until 2003, the former Abalene Pest Control site along the town-village border was not even fenced in.
Now, the state is moving forward with steps that could lead to a cleanup of the site located a few blocks from Clinton Arena.
To one of the state's leading advocates for the environment, the question is: What took so long?
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Until 2003, the former Abalene Pest Control site along the town-village border was not even fenced in.
Now, the state is moving forward with steps that could lead to a cleanup of the site located a few blocks from Clinton Arena.
To one of the state's leading advocates for the environment, the question is: What took so long?
More . . .
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Possible Well Testing Law in New York
May 11, 2007 - Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee is hoping one of her last measures to become county law will soon become one of her first measures to become state law.
Jaffee has proposed a bill that would require the testing of private wells prior to the sale of a house. The Assembly has already passed the bill, which must still be taken up the Senate, where it is being sponsored by Sen. Thomas Morahan, R-New City.
Residents concerned about buffer zones around landfills in Monterey, CA
May 12, 2007 - Property owners around Crazy Horse Landfill and other county refuse facilities are concerned about the county's proposal to establish buffer zones that would prohibit new residential development in the areas.
County Supervisor Lou Calcagno said he has appointments next week with property owners or their attorneys who want more information about the zones, which they say will reduce their property values and limit their land use.
Officials trying to understand health impacts of vapor intrusion in Endicott New York
May 11, 2007 - Lewis-Michl works for the state Department of Health Epidemiology Division in the Community Exposure Research Section and oversaw the study of health effects in Endicott where a plume of toxic solvents has impacted about 500 homes. While that study saw elevated rates of testicular and kidney cancer, Lewis-Michl reaffirmed that there was no way to confirm whether those levels were linked to solvent exposure.
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Thursday, May 10, 2007
Money May Run Out for Buyback of Contaminated Homes in Oklahoma
May 10, 2007 - OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ A state official says he's concerned money will run out for the federal buyout of homes in the Tar Creek Superfund site in northeastern Oklahoma. The area is contaminated after decades of lead and zinc mining and many buildings are in danger of collapsing into the underground mines.
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Newtown Creek in New York May Pose Health Threat
May 10, 2007 - On a spring day in 2002, a group of environmental advocates took a boat ride down Newtown Creek, searching for evidence of sustenance fishing. Instead, they stumbled upon an ecological nightmare.
Basil Seggos, chief investigator for Tarrytown-based Riverkeeper, said he and several other members of the Hudson River watchdog group witnessed something out of an eco-horror movie as their boat traveled along the waterway that divides western Queens and Brooklyn.
"One mile up the creek we were plowing through oil-soaked water," he said. "There was a thick coat of oil for hundreds of yards upstream and downstream. It was an indication of a very serious environmental condition and a lack of enforcement."
Riverkeeper, an environmental advocacy group dedicated to guarding the ecological integrity of the Hudson River, its tributaries and the city's watershed, was not the first to discover the pollution. Nearly 30 years ago, a Coast Guard helicopter spotted the large oil plume on the creek.
More . . .
Basil Seggos, chief investigator for Tarrytown-based Riverkeeper, said he and several other members of the Hudson River watchdog group witnessed something out of an eco-horror movie as their boat traveled along the waterway that divides western Queens and Brooklyn.
"One mile up the creek we were plowing through oil-soaked water," he said. "There was a thick coat of oil for hundreds of yards upstream and downstream. It was an indication of a very serious environmental condition and a lack of enforcement."
Riverkeeper, an environmental advocacy group dedicated to guarding the ecological integrity of the Hudson River, its tributaries and the city's watershed, was not the first to discover the pollution. Nearly 30 years ago, a Coast Guard helicopter spotted the large oil plume on the creek.
More . . .
Chemical Vapors in Plant Faulted for Blast in Massachusetts
May 10, 2007 - DANVERS -- The plant that exploded in November repeatedly violated safety regulations for the handling of flammable chemicals, and local, state, and federal agencies with oversight of the facility failed to inspect it, federal investigators said yesterday.
A seven-month probe by the US Chemical Safety Board concluded that workers, in part because of residents' complaints about the noise, regularly shut off a required ventilation system designed to prevent the buildup of chemical vapors, which ignited on Nov. 22.
More . . .
A seven-month probe by the US Chemical Safety Board concluded that workers, in part because of residents' complaints about the noise, regularly shut off a required ventilation system designed to prevent the buildup of chemical vapors, which ignited on Nov. 22.
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Water Supply Contamination in Queens, NY
May 10, 2007 - QUEENS Elevated levels of water contamination have been discovered in three parts of Queens.
The city's Department of Environmental Protection has been going door-to-door alerting residents about high levels of the chemical PERC found in their water system.
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The city's Department of Environmental Protection has been going door-to-door alerting residents about high levels of the chemical PERC found in their water system.
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Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Maryland Park Known to be Contaminated for 31 Years Finally Closed
May 7, 2007 - Arsenic-laced Swann Park is one of several places along Baltimore's waterfront where carcinogenic wastes from long-closed Allied Chemical Co. plants are reappearing like ghosts from the city's industrial past.
Baltimore closed Swann Park, a popular spot for school teams and sports leagues along the Patapsco River's Middle Branch, after Honeywell turned over 31-year-old records showing high arsenic levels in the park. Follow-up tests showed 2,200 parts per million arsenic in the dirt, more than 100 times safe levels. Federal health investigators are studying whether there was any risk to children who played ball at the park or to neighbors.
More . . .
Baltimore closed Swann Park, a popular spot for school teams and sports leagues along the Patapsco River's Middle Branch, after Honeywell turned over 31-year-old records showing high arsenic levels in the park. Follow-up tests showed 2,200 parts per million arsenic in the dirt, more than 100 times safe levels. Federal health investigators are studying whether there was any risk to children who played ball at the park or to neighbors.
More . . .
Was Your New Home A Meth Lab?
May 7, 2007 - Meth labs can cause problems even after they’ve been cleared out of a home, apartment, motel room, etc. This is because toxic particles are released into the air during the cooking process, and those particles get embedded in walls, carpets, air vents, ceiling fans, practically everything in a home. As a result, anyone living in a home that was a former meth lab can suffer serious health consequences. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to tell if your new home has been contaminated by meth lab activity. But there are a few things you can do to determine if a home or apartment is a former meth lab site.
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Tuesday, May 8, 2007
More Monterey families deal with fear of contamination
May 7, 2007 - It was a landmark case that changed the legal landscape. Some believe the chemicals that triggered it continue to percolate, too.
More than a decade ago, Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. settled a multimillion-dollar lawsuit by two couples whose well water was contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals. A judge found that the toxic brew was illegally dumped into the Crazy Horse Landfill with the blessing of Firestone officials trying to cut costs at their Salinas plant.
Firestone has long since left Salinas. The lawsuit has slipped from local memory. But the chemicals, according to a new complaint, did not go away. They leached along a downward path, percolating through the aquifer to new wells and new victims, according to the
The Dower family and their dog, Tracker, pictured in the yard of their Pesante Road home. Clockwise from left, Gabriel, Constance, Vernon, Andrew, Lucas, Leilani and Miriam. (DOWER FAMILY/Special to The Herald)complaint.
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More than a decade ago, Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. settled a multimillion-dollar lawsuit by two couples whose well water was contaminated with cancer-causing chemicals. A judge found that the toxic brew was illegally dumped into the Crazy Horse Landfill with the blessing of Firestone officials trying to cut costs at their Salinas plant.
Firestone has long since left Salinas. The lawsuit has slipped from local memory. But the chemicals, according to a new complaint, did not go away. They leached along a downward path, percolating through the aquifer to new wells and new victims, according to the
The Dower family and their dog, Tracker, pictured in the yard of their Pesante Road home. Clockwise from left, Gabriel, Constance, Vernon, Andrew, Lucas, Leilani and Miriam. (DOWER FAMILY/Special to The Herald)complaint.
More . . .
Utah Contamination May be Impacting Health of Local Residents
May 6, 2007 - ROOSEVELT — State and local health officials have more questions than answers about what caused life-threatening asthma attacks in two young boys living near an environmental cleanup site in central Duchesne County.
El Paso Exploration and Production began the second phase of its remediation effort on contaminated soil at one of its sites in Utahn, nine miles north of Duchesne, in mid-April. Two weeks later, a 4-year-old boy and a 1-year-old boy from two families had to be rushed to the hospital in Roosevelt after they experienced asthma attacks so severe that their inhalers and other home breathing treatments failed.
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El Paso Exploration and Production began the second phase of its remediation effort on contaminated soil at one of its sites in Utahn, nine miles north of Duchesne, in mid-April. Two weeks later, a 4-year-old boy and a 1-year-old boy from two families had to be rushed to the hospital in Roosevelt after they experienced asthma attacks so severe that their inhalers and other home breathing treatments failed.
More . . .
Another tragic story about the effects of environmental contamination
May 6, 2007 - Vernon was on the Internet one day when he happened upon a Web site containing the Superfund List, the most toxic sites in the country marked for cleanup by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Crazy Horse Landfill in Prunedale was listed No. 5 on the list, he said.
He was stunned. The landfill was about a mile from his old Pesante Road property.
He began to suspect that the same contamination had taken Constance. He told his children, all of whom had long since developed major medical problems of their own. And he contacted lawyers who have now sued, claiming that testing shows the family's well water was contaminated by Firestone's carcinogenic chemicals.
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Crazy Horse Landfill in Prunedale was listed No. 5 on the list, he said.
He was stunned. The landfill was about a mile from his old Pesante Road property.
He began to suspect that the same contamination had taken Constance. He told his children, all of whom had long since developed major medical problems of their own. And he contacted lawyers who have now sued, claiming that testing shows the family's well water was contaminated by Firestone's carcinogenic chemicals.
More . . .
Toxic Cleanup Lags in New Jersey
May 5, 2007 - Of the country's most polluted industrial sites, New Jersey holds the lion's share, and over three decades only a small percentage have been cleaned up under the supervision of the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
A report compiled by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Public Integrity and released last week details how the agency's work has slowed dramatically under the Bush administration.
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A report compiled by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Public Integrity and released last week details how the agency's work has slowed dramatically under the Bush administration.
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Monday, May 7, 2007
More Maryland Homes Test Positive for Contamination from Nearby Gas Station
May 5, 2007 - MONROVIA ----Two more homes have tested positive for contamination from the Green Valley Citgo station on Fingerboard Road, bringing the total properties affected thus far to five.
One residence on Farm Lane has methyl-tertiary butyl ether levels at 1,100 parts per billion ----55 times the levels of MTBE deemed acceptable by the Maryland Department of the Environment, which takes action at 20 ppb of MTBE.
Another property, also on Farm Lane, tested positive at 480 ppb.
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One residence on Farm Lane has methyl-tertiary butyl ether levels at 1,100 parts per billion ----55 times the levels of MTBE deemed acceptable by the Maryland Department of the Environment, which takes action at 20 ppb of MTBE.
Another property, also on Farm Lane, tested positive at 480 ppb.
More . . .
Pennsylvania Wells Tested for Gas Contamination
May 4, 2007 - SCOTT TOWNSHIP — About 20 private wells are being tested for water quality after a chemical associated with gasoline was found in a Justus-area well.
Officials from the state Department of Environmental Protection tested three wells after residents complained about a gasoline odor, DEP spokesman Mark Carmon said. One of the properties came back with elevated levels of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), a colorless, flammable liquid with a strong odor. It is added to gasoline to improve combustion and to reduce carbon monoxide emissions.
More . . .
Officials from the state Department of Environmental Protection tested three wells after residents complained about a gasoline odor, DEP spokesman Mark Carmon said. One of the properties came back with elevated levels of methyl tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE), a colorless, flammable liquid with a strong odor. It is added to gasoline to improve combustion and to reduce carbon monoxide emissions.
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MTBE Contamination in North Carolina Wells
May 2, 2007 - WHITSETT, NC -- The town of Whitsett may be moving closer to no longer dealing with contaminated well water. Since the 1980's health officials say two gas stations have been the source of contaminated ground water.
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Study: Mostly minorities live near hazardous waste
May 5, 2007 - Nearly 90 percent of the people who live near a commercial hazardous waste site in the Baton Rouge area are minorities, according to a new study.
The burden of pollution falling on black people here and nationally has gotten worse rather than better in the past 20 years, according to Robert Bullard of Clark Atlanta University.
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The burden of pollution falling on black people here and nationally has gotten worse rather than better in the past 20 years, according to Robert Bullard of Clark Atlanta University.
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Nearly half of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of a Superfund site
April 26, 2007 - WASHINGTON, April 26, 2007 — Communities across America face a daunting threat from hazardous waste sites — some near neighborhoods and schools — 27 years after the federal government launched the landmark Superfund program to wipe out the problem, a Center for Public Integrity investigation has found.
Initiated in 1980, Superfund is desperately short of money to clean up abandoned waste sites, which has created a backlog of sites that continue to menace the environment and, quite often, the health of nearby residents.
Nearly half of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of one of the 1,304 active and proposed Superfund sites listed by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to the Center's analysis of these sites and U.S. Census data of the 2000 population.
More . . .
Initiated in 1980, Superfund is desperately short of money to clean up abandoned waste sites, which has created a backlog of sites that continue to menace the environment and, quite often, the health of nearby residents.
Nearly half of the U.S. population lives within 10 miles of one of the 1,304 active and proposed Superfund sites listed by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to the Center's analysis of these sites and U.S. Census data of the 2000 population.
More . . .
Bankrupt Superfund
May 5, 2007 - The superfund, set up to pay for the cleanup of contaminated industrial sites, is not that super anymore. The dwindling fund is leaving the federal government with less money to clean up the large list of dangerously toxic properties throughout the country, including one in Fort Wayne.
The Center for Public Integrity recently released several reports that shed light on the peril that the slowing cleanup of toxic sites poses for Americans.
More . . .
The Center for Public Integrity recently released several reports that shed light on the peril that the slowing cleanup of toxic sites poses for Americans.
More . . .
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Top 10 Toxic Waste States
April 30, 2007 - Twenty-seven years ago, after environmental disasters like Love Canal, the feds created a Superfund program to clean up America's toxic waste dumps. But today, that effort has run out of steam and stands underfunded and largely forgotten–despite the fact that nearly half of all Americans live within 10 miles of Superfund sites.
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Boiling water for drinking in Chicago
May 1, 2007 -
Martha Castillion, a Chicago resident for nearly 20 years and grandmother of a 2-year-old toddler, boils her water for drinking and cooking.
“I don’t like … my kids to be contaminated,” she said.
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