INTRODUCTION
The Love Canal episode is one of the major and most publicized environmental disaster recorded in America history. In recent time, it has been described as an epidemic. It became a focus of intensive and extensive studies on health effect, environmental studies and epidemiologic research (Friis and Seller, 2014, p.20; Jasanoff, 1998 p.83). This paper attempts to bring to light how a community is forced to bear the consequences of decision made by greedy and negligent corporate bodies. It is the exposition of conflict between scientific evidence, politics, economic and health consideration. In what resulted into litigation that lasted for several years.
HISTORY OF LOVE CANAL
“The Love Canal was a toxic waste disposal site located in Niagara Falls, NY. It is a rectangular 16 –acre, 10 ft. deep landfill centered in a residential neighborhood in northwestern New York State” with an estimated population of 77,050” (Gensburg, Pantea, Fitzgerald, Stark, Hwang & Kim (2009 2009 p.209). Niagara County, New York is known …show more content…
Between 1942 and 1953 there was active dumping of chemicals waste into the canal. Document submitted by Hooker to New York interagency task force of hazardous waste, showed that an estimate of about 21,800 tons of chemicals waste from the manufacturing process of the company was dumped in the canal. “These waste were mainly organic pesticide residues, waste solvents, fly ash and process sludge” (Philip, et al. p 313-314). About 6,900 tons of lindane (hexachlorocyclohexanes), 2000 tons of chlorobenzene, 200 tons of dioxin-contaminated trichlorophenol, 2400 tons of organic sulfur compounds (e.g., lauryl mercaptans), 2400 tons benzylchlorides and 2000 tons sodium sulfide/sulfhydrates” among others were been buried in the love canal over a ten year period. (Gensburg, et al. 2009, p 209; Kim, 1981
The Love Canal episode is one of the major and most publicized environmental disaster recorded in America history. In recent time, it has been described as an epidemic. It became a focus of intensive and extensive studies on health effect, environmental studies and epidemiologic research (Friis and Seller, 2014, p.20; Jasanoff, 1998 p.83). This paper attempts to bring to light how a community is forced to bear the consequences of decision made by greedy and negligent corporate bodies. It is the exposition of conflict between scientific evidence, politics, economic and health consideration. In what resulted into litigation that lasted for several years.
HISTORY OF LOVE CANAL
“The Love Canal was a toxic waste disposal site located in Niagara Falls, NY. It is a rectangular 16 –acre, 10 ft. deep landfill centered in a residential neighborhood in northwestern New York State” with an estimated population of 77,050” (Gensburg, Pantea, Fitzgerald, Stark, Hwang & Kim (2009 2009 p.209). Niagara County, New York is known …show more content…
Between 1942 and 1953 there was active dumping of chemicals waste into the canal. Document submitted by Hooker to New York interagency task force of hazardous waste, showed that an estimate of about 21,800 tons of chemicals waste from the manufacturing process of the company was dumped in the canal. “These waste were mainly organic pesticide residues, waste solvents, fly ash and process sludge” (Philip, et al. p 313-314). About 6,900 tons of lindane (hexachlorocyclohexanes), 2000 tons of chlorobenzene, 200 tons of dioxin-contaminated trichlorophenol, 2400 tons of organic sulfur compounds (e.g., lauryl mercaptans), 2400 tons benzylchlorides and 2000 tons sodium sulfide/sulfhydrates” among others were been buried in the love canal over a ten year period. (Gensburg, et al. 2009, p 209; Kim, 1981