Love Canal

History

• In 1920, sold in a public auction to be used as a waste disposal

• In 1947, company buried about 22,000 tons of toxic waste

• In 1952, closed site, back-filled canal, and covered it with five feet of clay

• In 1957, chemicals seeped into canal• In 1977, canal turned into overflowing

pool

1978

• Local mother wondered if children’s epilepsy, asthma, and urinary tract infections were connected to their exposure to leaking chemicals

• The Love Canal was covered in 21,000 tons of chemical waste

• More and more children were born with birth defects

Information

• In 1979, there were an extremely high rate of miscarriages

• 2 out of 4 children had birth defects

• Cleft palate, extra row of teeth, eye defect, slight retardation are the most common

• 56% of children born from 1974-1978 had birth defects