LOVE CANAL TRAGEDY


INTRODUCTION


Love Canal is a canal existed in Niagara Falls, New York. Love Canal is named after William T. Love. Love Canal Tragedy is concerned with the heavy amount of toxic waste disposal in canal and related health problems originated from the event.

LOVE DREAM

Love Canal was originally a dream community. A dream seen by William T. Love. He wanted to dig a short canal between upper and lower Niagara Rivers. The purpose for which the canal was made was to generate the electricity that could be supplied to industries and homes to make the city a model city. 

The Love dream was not able to endure the changes such as change in economy and Nicola Tesla discovery how to transmit economically the power to long distances through alternating current.

THE LOVE CANAL TRAGEDY

In 1910 Love dream was devastated by a trench dug at the site where Love Canal has to be started. By 1920 nightmare seeds were planted at the site. Gradually the canal was converting into a industrial waste dumpsite.

THE HOOKER CHEMICAL COMPANY

The main culprit behind the Love Canal was the Hooker Chemical Company. Hooker company needed a land to dispose off their waste. In 1942 the the Hooker got permission from Niagara Power and Development Company to dump their waste in canal. In 1947 Hooker purchased the canal and 70 foot wide banks on both sides of canal. He started dump his industrial waste and Niagara City and army also dump their waste in canal. In 1953 the city stopped dumping waste. The dumpsite was in operation till 1953. In the time period of 5 years 21,00 tons of chemical waste was dumped in the canal. The chemicals dumped were alkalies, fatty acids and chlorinated hydrocarbons released from dyes, perfumes, rubbers, solvents and resins. Hooker sold the canal for $1 in 1953.


DISASTROUS EFFECTS
  • Twenty Five years after the company  has stopped dumping, 82 chemicals were percolated upward to soil. Eleven of them were found carcinogenic in nature. Thus leaching the soil and coming in basements of 100 homes and one public school built nearby.
  • Even some of the landfills were closed down while they were fully filled but these acted like time bombs. After some months the Love Canal exploded and the effect was enhanced by heavy rainfall and then leaching started.
  • Drums of waste were breaking and exploding the backyards of grounds.
  • The trees and gardens were dying and were changing into black.
  • One whole swimming pool was exploded with the waste.
  • The children who were playing they have burns on their hands and faces.
  • Everywhere in air there was bad choking smell.
  • Than birth defects were alarming in the areas. Miscarriages were increasing. About 5 defect cases were investigated.
  • The blood cell count was increased in the people leading to the disease leukemia.
STRATEGIES TO REMEDIATE THE SITUATION
  • A drain was built and a collection system of wastes was made to clean the waste.
  • Large pipes were built to carry the waste to sewers.
  • Laws were made to decide where to dump the hazardous waste.
  • All dioxins and chemical contained water was removed.
  • Hooker company was guilty for all the tragic incident.
  • Hooker was sued with $200,000,000.

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