Download Love Canal - WordPress.com

When Nature and
Humans Collide
Love Canal
• Neighbourhood in Niagara Falls, New York
• Covers 36 square blocks in far S.E. corner of the city
(along 99th Street & Read Ave.)
• Bergholtz Creek to N. & Niagara River (1/4 mile) to S.
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Love Canal
• 1890’s Wm. T. Love wanted to build a
canal connecting 2 levels of Niagara
River
• Supply area with Hydro - for industrial
use
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Love Canal
• Congress passed regulation - no water
removed from Niagara River (preserve
Niagara Falls)
• 1892 - Love wanted shipping lane to
bypass N.F. & reach L. Ontario
• Envisioned urban area --> Model city
Love Canal
• Plan was to build a system of beautiful
parks and homes along L. Ontario
• Love only built 1.6km of canal (15m wide
& 3-12m deep)
• Plan abandoned as Love ran out of $$$$
Love Canal
• Canal filled with water - used for recreation
(swimming, skating)
• 1920’s - site used as dump for city of N.F.
• 1940’s - Hooker Electrochemical Company
granted permission by Niagara Power &
Development Company to dump its waste into
Love Canal
Love Canal
•
•
•
•
Canal drained - lined with clay
55 gallon metal or fibre barrels
Site in operation for 10 years (1952)
22,000 tons chemicals from manufacturing of
dyes, perfumes, solvents for rubber and
synthetic resins added
• 1947 Hooker bought canal and 70’ wide banks
on either side
Love Canal
• 1952 canal covered with dirt and Vegetation
started to grow
• N.F. school board wanted to buy a piece of the
canal site to build new school
• Hooker said No & brought School board to site
- drilled holes to show toxic chemical
• Finally Hooker sold property for $1
Love Canal
• Hooker (April 28th, 1953) included a 17 line
caveat explaining dangers of building on site &
releasing them from any legal obligations
• 1955-school completed & 400 students began
to attend
• Same year - 25’ area crumbled exposing toxic
chemical drums - filled with rainwater and
children played in
Love Canal
• 1957 construction of housing near the canal
began
• Residents moved in not knowing the dangers
that lay beneath them
• Clay cover began to crack - 1977 (wet winter)
canal became a overflowing pool --> people
reported puddles of oil or coloured liquid in
basements & backyards
Love Canal
• 1978 Lois Gibbs began to survey
neighbourhood regarding health of children
• High cases of miscarriages (56% of children
born with defect of some kind)
• 1979 Environmental Protection Agency
declared found 33% of pop. Had chromosome
damage (where 1% is avg)
Love Canal
• 1980 - 800 families relocated
• Houses & school demolished
• Clay & plastic covered site, material from demolished
houses and school placed on top
• Fenced in area to keep people out
Love Canal
Love Canal
QuickTime™ and a
decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Love Canal
Love Canal
Love Canal
Love Canal
Love Canal
Love Canal
Love Canal