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Cancer Storm–Sandy Left Massive Amounts Of Toxic Waste Behind
Hurricane Sandy and Superfund
Just after Katrina in March 2009, The Center for Health, Environment & Justice published a critical report, Superfund: In the Eye of the Storm, revealing how our nation faces a new threat to the health and safety of the American People – disruption and damage at supefund sites caused by extreme weather conditions brought on by climate change.
Hazardous waste sites can release large quantities of toxic substances when subject to flooding, tornadoes and hurricanes. The increased costs from new cleanups caused by extreme weather events place a tremendous financial burden on the already financially-ailing Superfund program. As the report predicted, climate change related extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and more intense. Hurricane Sandy left behind toxic troubles from sites, including the Gowanus Canal and Newton Creek Superfund sites in Brooklyn, and the Passaic River dioxin Superfund site in New Jersey.
In 2009 Lois Gibbs, CHEJ Executive Director, warned the government that, “Toxic site cleanups must be done in a way that protects human health and the environment beyond the ‘everyday’ predictable weather and take into account extreme weather events. we need to address the consequences of reoccurring contamination from Superfund sites due to extreme weather conditions. It is time we reinstate the Polluter Pays fees and take the costs off the taxpayers’ back. We need a replenished Superfund to assist our citizens – extreme weather refugees – who need new roads, homes and protective cleanups.”
View Superfund: In the Eye of the Storm at http://chej.org/wp-content/uploads/Superfund_In-the-Eye-of-the-Storm.pdf.
