Love Canal

Hazardous Waste Management before Love Canal

The first half of the 20th century witnessed explosive growth in the chemical industry as new chemicals were developed and production volumes increased dramatically. Unfortunately, some of the new organic chemicals were highly toxic and persistent in the environment. In the absence of federal hazardous waste regulations, the chemical industry often chose inexpensive waste disposal solutions such as open dumping or liquid-waste lagoons. Aware of toxicity issues, companies often attempted to control human exposure through geographic isolation by fencing the disposal site, posting warning signs, and maintaining long-term trusteeship of the land. When that trusteeship broke down, situations such as Love Canal emerged.

Historical Geography of Love Canal

Love Canal, in the southeastern corner of Niagara Falls, was the site of William T. Love's failed attempt to generate hydroelectricity by connecting the upper and lower Niagara River, bypassing the Niagara Falls. Less than 1 mile of the canal was built before Love's financial backers dropped out, and he lost the site to mortgage foreclosure. In the 1920s, the canal was used as a municipal waste dump, and in the early 1940s, it was leased and eventually purchased by Hooker Chemical and Plastics Corporation (later Occidental Chemical Corporation) for chemical waste disposal. Between 1942 and 1952, Hooker Chemical drained the canal and dumped wastes containing at least 200 different toxic chemicals, including organic solvents classified as known or probable carcinogens, such as benzene, trichloroethylene, and tetrachlo-roethylene. In 1952, the dump was closed and covered with soil; in 1953, it was sold to the Niagara Falls School Board for $1, along with a stern warning that chemical wastes were buried at the site.

Discovery of Contamination

Soon after residents moved into the neighborhood, there emerged isolated complaints of chemical odors or residues in basements and yards, along with minor explosions and spontaneous fires. Heavy precipitation in 1976 and 1978 brought rising water tables, spreading the buried chemical wastes. Environmental monitoring conducted by the State of New York and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) confirmed the presence of hazardous chemicals in basements. Media attention, the frequent presence of environmental sampling crews, and a paralyzed real estate market led to calls for government intervention. Leading the call for help was neighborhood resident and grassroots activist Lois Gibbs, who circulated a petition, collected anecdotal evidence of serious health effects, and pressured reluctant politicians and government officials into [Page 1807]addressing the contamination. In August 1978, the State of New York declared a public health emergency and ordered the permanent relocation of 239 families living along the canal. In 1979, the Love Canal Homeowners Association, led by Lois Gibbs, succeeded in convincing officials to expand the relocation order. President Jimmy Carter declared two federal emergencies, which provided funds for the relocation of more than 550 additional families in a wider 10-block area. By 1989, the residential relocations and the environmental investigation and cleanup had cost the state and federal governments $140 million. After 16 years of extensive litigation, the Occidental Chemical Corporation agreed to reimburse $129 million in costs. Contaminants at the site were contained with a synthetic liner and clay cap, and in 2004, the cleanup was declared complete. A follow-up health study conducted by the State of New York and the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry concluded that Love Canal residents were not at higher risk for cancer but were at significantly higher risk for low–birth weight children, birth defects, and other adverse reproductive outcomes.

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