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Show TOXIC W.ASm SITEPR.OPILE: AMElUCAN BARREL Recently the local media has reported has reported school children from Jackson Elementary have been crusafding against.American Barrel, aStateCERCL A 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, environmental activism and polittcs. It appears that these children's concerns 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. For the past several yeatrs, UP & L has rented the site to American Barrel. In May, American Ban-el 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 barreils. 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 tramcients are attracted to this area and build fires 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 found to have played in the barrells. 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 Superfund Hotline? Or is it related to a 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 Sltes." which includedAmericanban-el? The EPA-Region 8 has jurisdiction of the inv~aiton and clean-up. On June 8th groundwater and soil samples were taken. Accoring to Nancy Seacrest, solid and hazardous wute Department spo.t.esperson, it will take approximately three months to obtain lab results. -Kate Park Marr aJL1lJRESPRBFER. SONS 11111C-plllttJaewaddamtcalblrespreferm. Cid's ad womea'sllealda d'iellsaffen a araalt. Jmpvviagwomea.'1 hewbhis oae mtbe.tey&d onin UllpVVlllBdle.healdtmc:hiklreaad ....t.fi9IWOlll ell tDplldiapllteiathedevel,peelllencf Wi.poRAmt m dleit ...... Meaaregift llaareadbeu el-foodtoea tfnm• eadyageiactudiag pe, a•iltiag&daenlllldmastoeat· finl. ..,..f'eedi .--lmger. addelaJial.....,. pqpwqalke r-dlebirdtm a ... ladiredeffec1S011..laealdamaycamelbaatfnn.poorer educ-rim fcrgids and cb!kllsood a.,,;.-=. widt ..,_ miae-dri!dbeariggn Amniooet11esis,.amedicaldiag- llDlliclDal whidtcanrevealdle amm•-..ba m child, lmbemmtrc ugwa:lialia ladiak4 •·--~ abmtiaasmfe.ma&efe1113--.a.. IaSaur. ••k>,kandis landiadlePl lillipiws, ':'~tbeyrea da tweaay. wmnea.arelnded ca. • llelpelsarchild lllides, bydleirpova ty-mctmtMr ities '"1 ~mdleabc nementop mple~pab ll,Jym~ bow aadllne aodirm ol!ICW1:"lridl.. However, rmliderdle plight mGIii' IUbn. What can JUI., Clam • •••••••••• •••••••••• •••••••••• ••••••• Ly 1a r- u11 er Res: 266-0075 ho ope,- ball,taed t realtot, 4 70 East 3900 South, S111IP. fl.UO Salt Lake City. Utah 84101 (801)266-2476 -5- haaer198? |
