Cases of Crazy Corporate Chemical Contamination Catastrophes and Corrections

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Cases of Crazy Corporate Chemical Contamination
Catastrophes and Corrections
Daniel Hurwitz Michael Miller
Sara Mendelson Miguel Rios
Group 3
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Outline

• Intro
• Analysis
• Example
• Love Canal
• Example
• Arctic Pollution
• Solution

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Outline

• Intro
• Analysis
• Example
• Love Canal
• Example
• Arctic Pollution
• Solution

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Did you know???

• It is illegal to dump toxic chemicals or waste
  into storm drains, open bodies of water, or
  anywhere else that may expose waste to the open
  environment.

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Questions Answers

• WHO mostly large corporations and sometimes
  individual people
• WHAT illegal dumping of toxic chemical waste
  causing problems in ecosystem
• WHERE all over the world specifically New York
  and around the Arctic
• WHEN since early 1900s posed as an issue heard
  about the effects ard. 1970s
• WHY to avoid higher costs, convenience,
  unknowledgeable

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Two Main Processes

• (Direct) Chemicals come in direct contact with
  water and/or soil
• (Indirect) Landfills
• Waste undergoes numerous chemical reactions
  underground
• chemicals accumulate on the surface and due to
  involuntary environmental actions end up in water
  supply

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Why is this a Problem?

• Degredation of planet
• Health risks
• Environmentalists
• Advancing technology
• Rate of accumulated waste is greater than that of
  the time required for proper disposal

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Outline

• Intro
• Analysis
• Example
• Love Canal
• Example
• Arctic Pollution
• Solution

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Love Canal-Background
Example 1

• Area in southeastern Niagara Falls City
• Bought by William T. Love in 1893 as a location
  for his ideal city
• The city began to flourish, but not for long
• An economic depression as well as the development
  of alternating current brought an end to the city

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Love Canal-Chemical Dumpsite
Example 1

• The partially completed canal was used as a
  dumpsite from 1920 until 1953.
• The Hooker Chemical company covered the site with
  top soil and sold it to the Board of Education
  for 1
• The deed included a disclaimer that absolved the
  company from any liability due to the chemicals

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Love Canal-Community
Example 1

• The Board built an elementary school near the
  canal in 1954
• Construction of homes began during the 1950s
  also.
• By 1978 there were 800 single family homes and
  240 low-income apartments
• 400 children attended the local school

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Love Canal-Problems Arise
Example 1

• Heavy rains and snow in 1978 allowed the buried
  toxic chemicals to leach through the top soil
• Houses near the canal began to have a chemical
  odor in the basement
• Puddles of chemicals began to appear in the
  community.
• Blue phosphorous rocks appeared

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Love Canal-Evacuation
Example 1

• After testing by the health department an
  evacuation notice was given for pregnant women
  and children under two.
• A second evacuation notice would later be given
  for the entire area.
• 67 families choose to remain in their houses

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Love Canal-Cleanup
Example 1

• A drainage trench was dug to prevent the waste of
  permeating to the surrounding neighborhood.
• A clay cap was added to the site to prevent rain
  water and snow from reaching the chemicals
• The houses closest to the canal were demolished

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Love Canal-Effects
Example 1

• Residents of the canal area had a higher rate of
  birth defects, miscarriages, and were at a higher
  risk of developing leukemia
• The miscarriage rate for the canal area was 1.49
  times higher than the average rate
• The southern section of the canal had a
  miscarriage rate 3.45 times the average rate

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Love Canal-Creation of the Superfund
Example 1

• The events at Love Canal led to the creation of
  the Superfund by congress
• The law created a 1.6 billion trust fund to pay
  for future hazardous waste cleanups
• The law was amended in 1986 increasing the trust
  fund to 8.5 billion

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Superfund Sites in Gainesville
Example 1

• CABOT/KOPPERS MAIN ST 23RD AVE
• FAIRBANKS DOT WASTE DISPOSAL COUNTY ROAD 225A
• FARCHAN LABORATORIES 2603 NW 74TH PLACE
• FMX PESTICIDES (FIRE) E OF NW 6TH ST 45TH AVE
  JCT
• GAINESVILLE AIRPORT GAINESVILLE AIRPORT
• GAINESVILLE GASIFICATION PLANT 710 SE. 2ND STREET
  
• KOPPERS CO INC TIMBER TREATING 200 NW 23RD BLVD
• PCR INC AIRPORT INDUSTRIAL PARK
• UF CHEMICAL DISPOSAL SITE SW 34TH STREET

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Outline

• Intro
• Analysis
• Example
• Love Canal
• Example
• Arctic Pollution
• Solution

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History - Analysis
Example 2

• Cold War (1947 1991) Wastes
• Countries Involved
• Types of Chemicals

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Effects of Wastes
Example 2

• Wildlife
• Environment
• People

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Example 2
Dumping sites for nuclear wastes, nuclear
powerplants, military plants for treatment and
storage of used uranium and nuclear wastes.

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Example 2
Smoke containing sulphur dioxide belches from the
chimneys of a nickel foundry at Norilsk,
W.Siberia,Russia
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Example 2
Oil drums discarded by U.S. military on the
Melville Peninsula, N.W.T., Canada
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A truck empties a tank of human waste into a
sewage lagoon near the Inuit community of
Igloolik. Nunavut, Canada.
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Example 2
Oil spilling from pipes and polluting a lake
near Niznevartovsk, Khanty Mansiysk, W. Siberia,
Russia
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Example 2
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Example 2
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Solutions
Example 2

• Regulation of the chemicals industry has to
  improve.
• International clean up operation.
• Smother wreck with a gel of chitin and chitosan,
  which absorb heavy metals such as plutonium.

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Outline

• Intro
• Analysis
• Example
• Love Canal
• Example
• Arctic Pollution
• Solution

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Legislation

• Increasing public awareness
• Clean Water Act
• Safe Drinking Water Act
• Toxic Chemical Substances Control Act
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

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Organizations

• Citizens Coal Council
• Greenpeace
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

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How Can Engineering Solve This?

• Design of a controlled dumpsite
• Protect against leakage through ground
• Protect chemicals from traveling outside the
  dumpsite
• Pipe system and dilution
• Neutralize chemicals
• Dr. Pratap
• Mechanical/Agricultural Engineering

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How Can Engineering Solve This?

• New materials
• Alternative materials
• Engineering a protection system at the source
  (factory)
• Materials/Chemical Engineering

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Recap

• Intro to Chemical Dumping
• Effects on People Wildlife
• Major Examples
• Love Canal
• Arctic Pollution
• Legislation
• Organizations
• Ways to Resolve

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Questions

• Any Questions?