In chapter 5 of his book, Belton describes how politics and environmental issues sometimes clashed, and how it impacted the residents of New Jersey. In one scenario, he discusses how the Chemical Control fire left a damaging mark in the city of Elizabeth. Many of the first responders were left with serious health conditions, and the residents of the city were negatively impacted as well. In addition to health reasons, this fire left marks on the city’s rivers and landmarks, as the chemical waste flowed through the streets and into bodies of water. This then hurt many of the marine wildlife that can be found in these rivers and streams.
Companies were unlawfully dumping chemical waste into oceans, rivers, and streams, and they did not seem to care about the impact on the world around them. They simply cared about convenience, availability, and cost. It was inconvenient for them to travel to dump waste, as the waters were right there for them. Disposing of chemical waste properly used to be inexpensive for companies. However, as time went on, it became more and more expensive, so it became rare. It costs zero dollars to dump waste into the rivers, but the monetary value should be the least of the problems. It is simply dangerous and unhealthy for these companies to continue this process, and it is scary to think that it could still be happening today.
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Rebecca MarcinkoJunior at Seton Hall University, studying Elementary Special Education, Environmental Studies, and Applied Behavioral Analysis. Archives
May 2018
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