Stuff You Should Know✓Claim

Key Takeaways

The Love Canal neighborhood in Niagara Falls, New York was the site of the worst environmental disaster involving chemical waste in U.S. history
The site was eventually filled in, and years later after selling the land to the City of Niagara for $1, housing developments and a school were built on top of it
In just a few years after people started living in the area, some people began developing horrible physical defects, and the rate of birth defects skyrocketed
Many residents who moved into the area had no idea that toxic waste was stored below them
In 1976, the Niagara Gazette published the first article that explained the origins of the Love Canal neighborhood, explaining the history of the Hooker Company and the toxic waste that was buried beneath the soil
It took several years for the issue to be acknowledged; several city-sponsored investigations took place, but the results were not shared with the local populous
Grassroot initiatives, led by Lois Gibbs, eventually brought national media attention to the crisis; her efforts led to $50+ million in federal and state funding to mitigate the effects of the disaster
A state of emergency was declared, the town was eventually shut down and flattened, and all but two families left Love Canal
People have since moved back into the area, which is now known as Black Creek; today, some of the people living in the town remain unaware of the history of Love Canal

A man with an unfulfilled vision left a huge gash in the ground near Niagara Falls. Then a chemical company came along and filled it with toxic waste. Then people came along and built homes and an elementary school on top of it. Then things went badly.

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Love Canal: Even Dirtier Than It Sounds

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