One of the most significant environmental problems that put many people at risk was the Love Canal in Niagara Falls, New York. After years of living surrounded by toxic chemicals, complaints started rising. A strange odor and a distinct chemical seeping out from the ground and into basements and backyards stirred concern. Residents living in the area were experiencing health problems such as birth defects and genetic disorders. The high number of miscarriages was also a concern. The toxic chemical had contaminated their main water source, which they had been relying on for years.
William T. Love envisioned in building a canal that connected to the Niagara River to produce hydroelectric power to a city that he wanted to build. After a failed …show more content…
Although it is impossible to remove all toxic chemical from the water, soil, air, low levels of contamination later made Niagara Falls habitable. Hundreds of millions of dollars were spent on trying to clean up the canal. The Hooker Chemical company quickly faced several lawsuits. The Love Canal serves as an example to implement higher protocols at a dump site. To avoid making the same mistake, the environmental protection agency establishes strict regulations, which employees must adhere by. Even low exposure to chemicals have an impact in one’s health and overall wellbeing. To this day, large companies continue to produce emissions and waste. It is important to follow the important safety standards when working in such companies, one mistake can lead to a huge problem affecting the lives of hundreds of …show more content…
Love’s vision to build a city and provide water by construction a canal that connected to the Niagara River was a failure. Once the Hooker Chemical Company took over, they used what was dug to be a canal, was later used as a dumping site. Dumping over 20,000 tons of toxic waste and later covering it up with clay and soil. The Hooker Chemical company sold the land to the Niagara Falls board of education for one dollar. At the time Hooker released liability, he no longer was at fault or had a say in what was to later become of the love canal. Although he was aware of what he had done, he was not responsible with the effects the Love Canal later caused. As people started moving in, there was a need of using land and expanding. Residential homes were built, even an elementary school right on top of the 22,000 tons of toxic waste. Unaware, many people moved in, and years later, they started noticing strange odors and a chemical coming out form the ground. After all, people moving into the Niagara Falls knew what the land had previously been used for, but they were not informed of the toxicity of the chemicals that were used. Heavy rainfall caused the capped layer of clay to breakdown allowing the chemical into residential areas. There were several complaints but nothing was done until the quality of air, soil, and water were sampled and investigated. Interviews
William T. Love envisioned in building a canal that connected to the Niagara River to produce hydroelectric power to a city that he wanted to build. After a failed …show more content…
Although it is impossible to remove all toxic chemical from the water, soil, air, low levels of contamination later made Niagara Falls habitable. Hundreds of millions of dollars were spent on trying to clean up the canal. The Hooker Chemical company quickly faced several lawsuits. The Love Canal serves as an example to implement higher protocols at a dump site. To avoid making the same mistake, the environmental protection agency establishes strict regulations, which employees must adhere by. Even low exposure to chemicals have an impact in one’s health and overall wellbeing. To this day, large companies continue to produce emissions and waste. It is important to follow the important safety standards when working in such companies, one mistake can lead to a huge problem affecting the lives of hundreds of …show more content…
Love’s vision to build a city and provide water by construction a canal that connected to the Niagara River was a failure. Once the Hooker Chemical Company took over, they used what was dug to be a canal, was later used as a dumping site. Dumping over 20,000 tons of toxic waste and later covering it up with clay and soil. The Hooker Chemical company sold the land to the Niagara Falls board of education for one dollar. At the time Hooker released liability, he no longer was at fault or had a say in what was to later become of the love canal. Although he was aware of what he had done, he was not responsible with the effects the Love Canal later caused. As people started moving in, there was a need of using land and expanding. Residential homes were built, even an elementary school right on top of the 22,000 tons of toxic waste. Unaware, many people moved in, and years later, they started noticing strange odors and a chemical coming out form the ground. After all, people moving into the Niagara Falls knew what the land had previously been used for, but they were not informed of the toxicity of the chemicals that were used. Heavy rainfall caused the capped layer of clay to breakdown allowing the chemical into residential areas. There were several complaints but nothing was done until the quality of air, soil, and water were sampled and investigated. Interviews