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Show TOXIC WASrn SITEPltOPILE: AMEllCAN BARR.EL Recently the local media has reported has reported school children from Jackson Elementary have been a-usafding againstAmerican Barrel, a StateCERCLA toxic waste site located within four bloc.ks of their school. Barbara Lewis Gifted and Talented Program teacher taught a unit on groundwater to her 33 students anbd the school project turned into a course on public participation, environmentalactivismandpoliucs. It appean that these children's concerm and objectives were contributing factors in the site being investigated. American Barrel. a 70 year-old company. located at 49 South Sixth West. is a refurbishing plant which cleans, refinishes and resells barrels. Years ago, Utah Power & Light used the site to treat light poles with creosote, a transparent oily liquid used as a wood preservative. Forthepastsevera lyeatcs. UP & Lhas rented the site to American Barrel. In May. American Barrel was sold to Meyer's Container Coproration, which will move the stock pile of 50.000 drums to another site in the next few weeks. The barrell contents included everything from "molassas to insectisides" and some barels are not empty. Since 1980, EnvironmemtalProtectionAgency Regulation stipulates that no more than one inch of residue may be left in the barrells. The questions remain: What toxins have leaked into the soil and groundwater? and What is the magnitude of the problem? Danger to human health is also a concern as tran.scients are attcacted to this area and build fi.res in the barrels during the winter. Trains travel by at top speed and the area is in close proximity to an elementary school and a residential area. Ms. Lewis' students canvassed a four block area asking residents if they were aware of the problem and if they thought it posed a health risk. They also conducted a petition drivefor site clean-up. An informal study revealed that at least 32 school children were f OW1d to have played in the barrelb. The children visited the U.S. Attorney's and Mayor DePaulis' where they were guaranteed that the site would be cleaned up by 1989. Ms. Lewis ~ke with local, state and federal health officials who informed her the site would not be cleaned up until her students were at least in high school. It remains unknown what expedited the investigation. Was it a young student's telephone call to the EPA on the Supetfund Hotline? Or is it related to a 8alt u&c. Vwr recent EPA DraftAudit of the State Health Department which claimed that they were "Decei~ the public on it's lack of action on seven toxic waste sites," which includedAmericanbarrel? The EPA-Region 8 has jurisdiction of tbe investi,aiton and clean-up. On June 8th groundwater and soil samples were taken. Accoring to Nancy Seacrest, solid and hazardousw.me Department spokesperson. it will take approximately three months to obtain lab results. -Kate Parle ll<ET aJLnJRES PllFFElt SONS 1'11lMpDl'lldlewadd.lllmtadtaresprefermm. Cid's and wcnea'sllealdl afteamffen •arellllt.. Impruviagwmnea.'s.heallhis aae m.tbeteyfacsarsill illlpvviagtllehealdamdlildreawf -+ti•lfOlllal tl>partiapaleiadledr:vdapnet11andWplu-unccm dacit ..... Meaarepvellaareaadbeaa-foodtoelll&allll.• eadyageiadudiagpei 111ittiagflllbenlllldmtoell fim.bnmtfeedi.9 0Dllmrger,aadc leblJurl...,,.,, peg,wqafter-tb ebidltma ... ladirecteffeclsaa.healdamayaaeabaatfrmn.poarer educ •ion fargids and cllikfhood mwriages. wida ..,_ mi••dn1dbearillg. Amtu~esis,. ••edicddiagllDlllictoal whi.dl carevmldle 912 m• •nhrn dlild. lmbemlllec:amovasialialadiaba •e1--« llbmtiallsmfemalefd~-... JaS...-. •fll"bkutalislan diadlePllillipiw s. wameaarelnde d•. "]~'!!dleyrea datwaq. • Wpencrdlild brides. bydl£irpoiti'ty-eicteafNrities. ~mtbeabcnem entopeople~pr obablyclo~ bow ad llne ao direu OOl!bN:twidL However. rm:-lidertbe pligla m. ow mten. Whit can:,ua cloT ••••••••••••• ••••••••••••• •••••••••••• Lyla r-uller Res: 266-0075 hooper- ball,taedt realtot, 4 70 Easl 3900 South, S1111e Sall Lake City . Utah 8410! (801)266 -2476 -5- nuo s........ 198? |
