[Iowa-dx] some things never change

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:08:41 EDT

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This country, for some reason, has problems learning its lessons from the  
past.  

NIAGARA FALLS, New York (CNN) -- Thirty years ago this  summer, America 
learned the name Love Canal. The working-class Niagara Falls  neighborhood built 
atop tons of chemical waste became a synonym for  environmental disaster.   
Troubles at the local elementary school -- and health  problems among its 
students, such as seizure disorders -- were among the first  signs of a much 
larger problem that made news around the world and prompted  federal Superfund 
legislation to clean up the most polluted sites in the United  States. 
Despite the outcry over Love Canal, little has been done to  make 
schoolchildren safer from hazardous or toxic waste, says Lois Gibbs, who  headed the Love 
Canal Homeowners Association and now runs the Center for Health,  Environment 
& Justice. 
"We should be farther along today than we are," said Gibbs,  who started the 
nonprofit a year after her evacuation from Love Canal. The  organization is 
dedicated to helping communities facing environmental  threats. 
A 2005 study by the Center for Health, Environment &  Justice looking at just 
four states -- Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and  Michigan -- found 
half a million children attending schools within half a mile  of known toxic 
dumps. 
Gibbs points to New Bedford High School in Massachusetts as  an example of 
children at risk.   
New Bedford High opened in 1972 on top of a former burn dump  for PCBs, an 
industrial chemical linked to cancer and brain damage. PCB levels  in the body 
build over time, raising health risks. 
"Like a lot of teachers there now, I figured, how bad could  it be? I was 
diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005," said former New Bedford  teacher Susan 
Dias, who is now cancer-free. She is returning to the classroom  this fall but 
will not go back to New Bedford High. 
Former teacher Maria Quann also says New Bedford High made  her ill.  
"I became very, very sick. My immune system shut down. I  collapsed and was 
bedridden for several months," Quann said. Her health improved  after she left 
the high school, she says, and she has now retired. 
Maureen Woolley, who worked in the cafeteria, says she  compiled a list of 25 
school employees who died of cancer. 
Three classrooms were closed last year because of high PCB  levels, but the 
school has been scrubbed and a new ventilation system added. The  rooms are 
expected to be open this fall. 
There have been no reports of students at the high school  becoming sick as a 
result of the toxic waste.  
"I wouldn't have kids in the school if I didn't think it was  safe. I would 
close the school," said Mayor Scott Lang, whose two sons attended  New Bedford 
High.  
PCB levels inside the school now fall within federal  guidelines, he says. 
Despite results of ongoing air-quality testing, teacher  David Greene remains 
skeptical. 
"I do think there are areas of that school that continue to  be dangerous," 
he said. 
Only seven states have laws preventing cities and towns from  building 
schools on or near toxic waste, according to the Center for Health  Environment and 
Justice. They are Massachusetts, Rhode Island, California,  Florida, Kentucky, 
Mississippi and Utah. 
"You can go most anyplace and build [a school] on top of a  Superfund site," 
Gibbs said. "They can build a school anywhere they want,  really. And that's 
the sad truth. I think at schools, very little has changed,  and that's 
unfortunate." 
Even in states with laws, many are weak or poorly enforced,  she says. In 
Massachusetts, state law prevents schools only from being built  close to active 
waste dumps, which would not have prevented New Bedford High's  construction 
three decades ago on a former dump site.   
In Niagara Falls, Gibbs' home was built three blocks from  20,000 tons of 
industrial waste placed in barrels and buried in a mile-long  ditch by a plastics 
and chemical maker. The 99th Street Elementary was built on  top of the dump. 
Gibbs, married with two young children at the time, recalls  elementary 
school students playing with ooze bubbling up on the playground. 
"The children would actually pick up these chemicals and  handle them," Gibbs 
said. "So, for example, one of these things was phosphorous  rocks. 
Phosphorous rocks were little pieces of chemical residue that would  bubble up to the 
surface. The children would pick up these phosphorous rocks,  and when you 
threw them at a hard surface, they would explode like a  firecracker." 
Some children were badly burned by the phosphorous, she  adds. Gibbs says 
neighborhood children also played with the chemical Lindane, a  pollutant 
associated with skin irritation, nausea, convulsions -- even  death. 
"I have a high school education. I don't  have a science degree, but you 
don't have to be a scientist to know that 20,000  tons of chemicals and 
kindergartners don't mix," Gibbs said. 

**************It's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel 
deal here.      
(http://information.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=aoltrv00050000000047)

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<DIV>This country, for some reason, has problems learning its lessons from t=
he=20
past.&nbsp; </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>NIAGARA FALLS, New York (CNN) -- Thirty years ago this=
=20
summer, America learned the name Love Canal. The working-class Niagara Falls=
=20
neighborhood built atop tons of chemical waste became a synonym for=20
environmental disaster.&nbsp;=20
Troubles at the local elementary school -- and health=20
problems among its students, such as seizure disorders -- were among the fir=
st=20
signs of a much larger problem that made news around the world and prompted=20
federal Superfund legislation to clean up the most polluted sites in the Uni=
ted=20
States.
Despite the outcry over Love Canal, little has been do=
ne to=20
make schoolchildren safer from hazardous or toxic waste, says Lois Gibbs, wh=
o=20
headed the Love Canal Homeowners Association and now runs the Center for Hea=
lth,=20
Environment &amp; Justice.
"We should be farther along today than we are," said G=
ibbs,=20
who started the nonprofit a year after her evacuation from Love Canal. The=20
organization is dedicated to helping communities facing environmental=20
threats.
A 2005 study by the Center for Health, Environment &am=
p;=20
Justice looking at just four states -- Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey a=
nd=20
Michigan -- found half a million children attending schools within half a mi=
le=20
of known toxic dumps.
Gibbs points to New Bedford High School in Massachuset=
ts as=20
an example of children at risk.&nbsp; 
New Bedford High opened in 1972 on top of a former bur=
n dump=20
for PCBs, an industrial chemical linked to cancer and brain damage. PCB leve=
ls=20
in the body build over time, raising health risks.
"Like a lot of teachers there now, I figured, how bad=20=
could=20
it be? I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005," said former New Bedford=20
teacher Susan Dias, who is now cancer-free. She is returning to the classroo=
m=20
this fall but will not go back to New Bedford High.
Former teacher Maria Quann also says New Bedford High=20=
made=20
her ill. 
"I became very, very sick. My immune system shut down.=
 I=20
collapsed and was bedridden for several months," Quann said. Her health impr=
oved=20
after she left the high school, she says, and she has now retired.
Maureen Woolley, who worked in the cafeteria, says she=
=20
compiled a list of 25 school employees who died of cancer.
Three classrooms were closed last year because of high=
 PCB=20
levels, but the school has been scrubbed and a new ventilation system added.=
 The=20
rooms are expected to be open this fall.
There have been no reports of students at the high sch=
ool=20
becoming sick as a result of the toxic waste. 
"I wouldn't have kids in the school if I didn't think=20=
it was=20
safe. I would close the school," said Mayor Scott Lang, whose two sons atten=
ded=20
New Bedford High. 
PCB levels inside the school now fall within federal=20
guidelines, he says.
Despite results of ongoing air-quality testing, teache=
r=20
David Greene remains skeptical.
"I do think there are areas of that school that contin=
ue to=20
be dangerous," he said.
Only seven states have laws preventing cities and town=
s from=20
building schools on or near toxic waste, according to the Center for Health=20
Environment and Justice. They are Massachusetts, Rhode Island, California,=20
Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi and Utah.
"You can go most anyplace and build [a school] on top=20=
of a=20
Superfund site," Gibbs said. "They can build a school anywhere they want,=20
really. And that's the sad truth. I think at schools, very little has change=
d,=20
and that's unfortunate."
Even in states with laws, many are weak or poorly enfo=
rced,=20
she says. In Massachusetts, state law prevents schools only from being built=
=20
close to active waste dumps, which would not have prevented New Bedford High=
's=20
construction three decades ago on a former dump site.&nbsp; 
In Niagara Falls, Gibbs' home was built three blocks f=
rom=20
20,000 tons of industrial waste placed in barrels and buried in a mile-long=20
ditch by a plastics and chemical maker. The 99th Street Elementary was built=
 on=20
top of the dump. Gibbs, married with two young children at the time, recalls=
=20
elementary school students playing with ooze bubbling up on the playground.<=
/P>
"The children would actually pick up these chemicals a=
nd=20
handle them," Gibbs said. "So, for example, one of these things was phosphor=
ous=20
rocks. Phosphorous rocks were little pieces of chemical residue that would=20
bubble up to the surface. The children would pick up these phosphorous rocks=
,=20
and when you threw them at a hard surface, they would explode like a=20
firecracker."
Some children were badly burned by the phosphorous, sh=
e=20
adds. Gibbs says neighborhood children also played with the chemical Lindane=
, a=20
pollutant associated with skin irritation, nausea, convulsions -- even=20
death.
"I have a high school education. I d=
on't=20
have a science degree, but you don't have to be a scientist to know that 20,=
000=20
tons of chemicals and kindergartners don't mix," Gibbs said. =
</DIV> <DIV><HR style=3D"MARGIN-TOP: 10px">It's only a deal if it's=20=
where you want to go. Find your travel deal <A title=3D"http://inform=
ation.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=3Daoltrv00050000000047" href=3D"http://infor=
mation.travel.aol.com/deals?ncid=3Daoltrv00050000000047" target=3D"_blank"><=
B>here</A>.</DIV></BODY></HTML>

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