CNN: "Despite Love Canal's lessons, schoolchildren are still at risk"

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

Despite Love Canal's lessons, schoolchildren are still at risk

August 22, 2008 By David S. Martin CNN Medical Producer

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.

...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.

...more at the link

[psychmommy]

1. the next town over from me had a factory that used mercury.

a daycare was later housed on that site. 2-4 year old kids do nothing but play in dirt and put their fingers in their mouths. parents and workers started noticing the tell tale little silver balls. the state finally shut it down. but, how many babies have been effected by this. so sad.