Love Canal

Love CanalRisks of Chemical Waste

Dangers of Toxic Waste

• This case brought awareness of environmental issues related to chemical disposal.

• Read the articles provided by teacher

• Create a timeline of events from the article.

It started as a

dream in 1910

• A man named William Love wanted to create hydro-electric power near Niagara Falls by digging a ditch (canal) between the 2 rivers.

• The project ran out of money before it was completed.

• What was left was just a big hole in the ground.

From Dream to Nightmare

• 1920’s the canal was turned into a municipal and industrial chemical dumpsite.

• The Hooker Chemical Company began using the abandoned canal as a chemical disposal dump in the 1930’s.

• Between 1942-1953 Hooker Chemical buried 22,000 tons of chemical wastes in barrels.

1950’s -- A Good Buy?

• 1953- When the site was filled, it was covered over with dirt and sold to the city for $1.

• Late 50’s -100 homes and a school were built at the site.

1960’s The Crisis Begins

• Karen Schroeder, 2nd generation resident of the Love Canal community, gave birth to her third child on November 21, 1968.

Birth Defects• …The baby, Sheri, was born with a hole

in her heart, which beat irregularly.

• She also had bony growths blocking her nose

• partial deafness, deformed ears

• cleft palate

• mentally retarded

• 2 rows of teeth on lower jaw

• Enlarged liver

This isn’t baby Sheri but these are babies with a cleft palate.

After record amount of rainfall, leaching began.

• Corroding waste-disposal drums could be seen breaking up through the grounds of backyards.

• One entire swimming pool had been popped up from its foundation, afloat now on a small sea of chemicals.

1970’s – Nightmare

• . Trees and gardens were turning black and dying

• Puddles of noxious substances in their yards and basements and on the school grounds

• The air had a faint, choking smell. • Children returned from play with burns

on their hands and faces.

1970’s – Nightmare

Chemicals coming up after lots of rain.

Late 70’s – Getting Help• October 1976- Niagara

Gazette reports harm to humans, pets & plant life.

• EPA and county health dept began to take notice and test soil, water, air & take blood samples from residents.

1978 – More Help

• August 1st – leading story in New York Times

• State commissioner declared a state of emergency- closed school & ordered evacuation. (pregnant women and babies evacuated first)

http://distanceunreal.comxa.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/lovecanal.jpg

1979 – Calling on the Law

• U.S. Rep. Al Gore (Dem-Tennessee) charges in 1979 that the tragedy had been avoidable. Publicized memo from 1958 describing burns.

• First lawsuits were filed.

Lesson Learned• Dangers of Toxic Waste

the country learned about one of the worst environmental disasters and the disastrous impact of chemicals on the environment & human health.

References

• EPA website: http://www.epa.gov/history/topics/lovecanal/01.htm

• http://www.wired.com/science/discoveries/news/2008/11/dayintech_1121

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love_Canal