1. Jen Webb Wesly Menard Robert Bookman
Love Canal Disaster
Jen Webb
Wesly Menard
Robert Bookman

2. Learning Objectives
Give a brief explanation of the Love Canal Disaster.
Pick two (2) toxins that were released from the landfill and list their health effects.
What are the difference between our landfills today and the way the landfill was constructed/maintained in the Love Canal Disaster.
Explain CERCLA.
How long after a landfill is finished can you build on it?

3. It started out as a bid for hydroelectricity…
Back in the 1890’s…
William T. Love
Very ambitious entrepreneur
Niagara Falls, NY
Rapidly growing city
Harness water’s power!
Model City/shipping lane
Lots of expectations!
Arrow on the left = Niagara Falls
Circle/Arrow = Love Canal

4. Project abandoned
Only a few houses and streets built and a small section of the canal dug before Love ran out of $$
1 mile long
50 ft wide, ft deep
Became local recreation
area
Arrow = the canal

5. Sold, sold, & sold again! Sold to the city in 1920’s
City dump site
Hooker Chemicals & Plastics in 1942
Granted permission to use the canal
Dumped over 21,000 tons of chemical wastes over 10 years.
Niagara Falls Board of Education in 1953
Needed land, like BAD.

6. Hooker Chemicals & Plastics
Needed a place to dump their trash.
Drained the canal, lined it with clay.
Filled it with 55gal barrels
Halogenated organics, pesticides, chlorobenzenes and dioxin, etc…
Buried ft.
Bought the land in 1947
Once full, “covered” with clay and soil and grass grew.
Wanted to sell the land.

7. Niagara Falls BOE Rapidly growing district
Sought the land next to the canal
Hooker Co. wouldn’t sell the land
BOE got dirty (eminent domain)
Bought 70+ acres of land for $1
Hooker Corp. made sure to protect themselves in the deed negotiated
Built school over the canal and homes on adjacent land

9. Elementary school, homes, expressway...
Found barrels during excavation at original school site
Moved location ~85ft to the North
During first year, 25ft area of land crumbled revealing buried barrels
Broke thru the clay barrier when constructing residential sewers
LaSalle Expressway cut off groundwater from reaching Niagara River
Both good and bad

10. The results…Chronology
In 1976, two reporters for the Niagara Gazette, David Pollak and David Russell, tested several sump-pumps near Love Canal and found toxic chemicals in them
The matter went quiet for more than a year and was resurrected by reporter Michael Brown, who then investigated potential health effects by carrying forth an informal door-to-door survey in the early summer of 1978, finding birth defects and many anomalies.
 The New York State Health Department followed suit and found an abnormal incidence of miscarriages.
Government official show little interest in the matter. Love Canal Homeowners' Association was founded

11. Love Canal Homeowners Association

12. The results…Chronology
The lack of public interest in Love Canal made matters worse for the homeowners' association, which now battled two organizations who were spending vast amounts of money to disprove negligence.
Following survey of multiple hideous birth defects and reports of cancer, New York State Health Commissioner, Robert Whalen declares a state of emergency exists at the Love Canal and orders closing of 99th Street School and evacuation of pregnant women and children under the age of two. (1978)
President Jimmy Carter approves emergency financial aid for the area

13. Jimmy Carter
Niagara Falls Mayor Michael O'Laughlin, President Jimmy Carter and New York Governor Hugh Carey 

14. The results…Chronology
November 10, 1978 200 tons of dioxin, a lethal chemical are reported buried in the canal and over 200 chemical compounds are identified as being buried in the canal. Residents fears heighten.
Report of this find and refusal to continue evacuation lead to fierce protest

15. The results…Chronology
At first, scientific studies did not conclusively prove that the chemicals were responsible for the residents' illnesses, and scientists were divided on the issue, even though eleven known or suspected carcinogens had been identified, one of the most prevalent being benzene. There was also dioxin (polychlorinated dibenzodioxins) in the water, a very hazardous substance. Dioxin pollution is usually measured in parts per trillion; at Love Canal, water samples showed dioxin levels of 53 parts per billion

16. Toxic chemicals

17. The results…Chronology
After a long hard battle, in April 1979 EPA approves $4 million for remedial work at the Love Canal. City receives $1 million in Federal Disaster Assistance Administration funds
EPA announces creation of a special task force to aid in identification and clean-up of toxic waste sites
The government relocated more than 800 families and reimbursed them for their homes,

18. Abandoned Love Canal home with EPA monitoring unit
work, FINALLY
Abandoned Love Canal home with EPA monitoring unit
EPA truck in the foreground cleaning the playground of the 99th street school. School can be seen in background

19. The results…Chronology
Congress passed the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), or the Superfund Act in 1980, that holds polluters accountable for their damages.
Hooker Chemical was found negligent, but not reckless, in its handling of the waste and sale of the land to the Niagara Falls School Board.

20. So, What happened? The dumpsite was not properly covered.
Lots of rain. No leachate pool
Leachate seep through the soil into people’s yard, groundwater, basements
First chemical seepage into basement reported in Evacuation in YEARS LATER????

21. You don’t want to live there!

22. So, What happened?
Despite the disclaimer by Hooker Chemical, the 99th St. School was built
Upon discovery of the waste during excavation, the site was moved ONLY 80ft North
1955, school completed, playground collapsed, exposing chemicals. Mixed with rainwater, puddle created. Children play in “puddle”. 

23. So, What happened?
City tries to build underground sewage system for rainwater. Construction broke the clay cover
More waste chemical seep
Resident unaware of canal history. Not included in contract.
Therefore, no monitoring and further evaluation
Clay crack
LaSalle Expressway construction cut off groundwater from reaching Niagara River. Dump site flooded
Puddle of chemical emerge in yard

24. Why It happened? Signs were, for the most part, ignored.
Low income, lower class families. Government ignored their plea
Of course, disregard to human life and future generation
Trees were dying, leaves turning black
Swimming pool floating away
Puddles of chemicals found in people’s yard. They did little about it
The choking smell
It wasn’t until 20yrs after the first signs that the town was evacuated

25. So, what are the chemicals found
Over 80 compounds in total were isolated, among them
Compound
Acute Effects
Chronic Effects
benzene
Narcosis Skin irritant
Acute leukemia Aplastic anemia Pancytopenia Chronic lymphatic leukemia Lymphomas (probable)
toluene
Narcosis (more powerful than benzene)
Anemia (possible) Leukopenia (possible)
benzoic acid
Skin irritant
lindane
Convulsions High white cell counts
trichloroethylene
Central nervous depression Skin irritant Liver damage
Paralysis of fingers Respiratory and cardiac arrest Visual defects Deafness
dibromoethane
benzaldehydes
Allergen
methylene chloride
Anesthesia (increased carboxy hemoglobin)
Respiratory distress Death
carbon tetrachloride
Narcosis Hepatitis Renal damage
Liver tumors (possible)
chloroform
Central nervous narcosis Skin irritant Respiratory irritant Gastrointestinal symptoms

26. Impact of the Chemicals
Table II Maternal Age and Number of Miscarriages (Observed and Expected*) Among Residents of the Love Canal
TABLE IV Documented Congenital Malformations Among Children From the Love Canal
Impact of the Chemicals
Even though 17 miscarriages don’t seem too much, remember this is a small community. That’s 22% miscarriages in a very short time.
Maternal Age
Number of  Pregnancies
Number of Miscarriages
Observed
<20 2
20-24 13
25-29 28 3
30-34 19 6
35-39 15 8
All Ages 77 17
Type of Malformation
Sex
Date of Birth
Medication, Radiation during pregnancy
Cleft palate, deformed ears and teeth, hearing defect, mental retardation, heart defect F
11/68 No
Abnormalities of renal pelvis and reflux ureters
4/75
Mental retardation (autistic)
1/66
Congenital deafness M
2/66
Club foot
1/58
Some of the major birth defects documented at Love Canal

27. AFTERMATH EPA addressed the Site in 6 stages:
Landfill Containment w/ leachate collection, treatment, and disposal
Excavation & Interim storage of the sewer & creek sediments
Final treatment and disposal of the sewer and creek sediments and other Love Canal waste
Remediation of the 93rd Street School soils
EDA home maintenance and technical assistance by the Love Canal Area Revitalization Agency (LCARA)
Buyout of homes and other properties in the EDA by LCARA

28. Dioxins
Polychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs), or simply dioxins, are a group of polyhalogenated compounds which are significant because they act as environmental pollutants.  They are known mutagens, and suspected human carcinogens

29. INITIAL ACTIONS
1978
System installed to collect leachate from the site
Landfill area was covered and fenced
Leachate treatment plant was constructed
1981
EPA conducted environmental studies

30. LANDFILL CONTAINMENT
1982
Barrier drain and a leachate collection system constructed by EPA
The temporary clay cap was covered with synthetic material to prevent rainwater from entering landfill
Houses adjacent to landfill and school were demolished

31. LANDFILL CONTAINMENT 1985 NYSDEC installed 40 acre cap on landfill
Improvements made on the leachate collection and treatment system
New leachate treatment facility constructed

32. SEWERS & CREEKS
Sewers and the Black Creek culverts were hydraulically cleaned
Removal and dispersal of contaminated sediments from Black Creek and Bergholtz Creek (Dredging)
14,000 cubic yards of sediments removed
Sewers inspected for defects that could allow contaminants to migrate
68,200 linear feet of storm and sanitary sewers were cleaned

33. THERMAL TREATMENT OF SEWER AND CREEK SEDIMENTS
1987 – EPA addressed the destruction and disposal of the dioxin-contaminated soil
On-site facility to dewater and contain sediments
Separate facility to treat the dewatered contaminants and leachate treatment facility residuals by high-temperature thermal destruction
All contaminated soil was removed from 93rd Street School property; building was demolished

34. HOME MAINTENANCE
Federal government and State of New York purchased affected properties in the EDA
EPA provided funds for the rehabilitation of the site
Since rehabilitation program began:
Approximately 260 homes sold
Senior citizen housing development

35. CLEANUP PROGRESS 1988 EPA issued Love Canal EDA Habitability Study
Study conclusions:
Areas 1-3 of the EDA, not suitable for habitation without remediation, but may be used for commercial and/or industrial purposes
Areas 4-7 of the EDA may be used for residential purposes

36. CLEANUP PROGRESS Quantities of Love Canal waste materials (2008)
Total sewer and creek sediment wastes
38,900 cubic yards at 1.6 tons/cubic yard = 62,240 tons
Other debris and waste
21,167 pounds
Spent Carbon Filter Wastes
30,080 pounds

37. CLEANUP PROGRESS Numerous Cleanup Activities Landfill containment
Lechate collection and treatment
Removal and disposition of contaminated sewer and creek sediments
Site is deemed safe for surrounding residents and the environment

38. CLEANUP PROGRESS Revitalization
New homeowners have repopulated areas of the site deemed habitable
260+ formerly-abandoned homes have been rehabilitated and sold to new residents
September 2008
5-year review report issued by EPA
2004
Love Canal removed from National Priorities list

39. WHERE ARE THEY NOW? HOOKER CHEMICAL’S & PLASTICS
RENAMED - OCCIDENTAL CHEMICAL CORPORATION

40. Love Canal Video

41. Links: