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Love Canal. History. In 1920, sold in a public auction to be used as a waste disposal In 1947, company buried about 22,000 tons of toxic waste In 1952, closed site, back-filled canal, and covered it with five feet of clay In 1957, chemicals seeped into canal
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History • In 1920, sold in a public auction to be used as a waste disposal • In 1947, company buried about 22,000 tons of toxic waste • In 1952, closed site, back-filled canal, and covered it with five feet of clay • In 1957, chemicals seeped into canal • In 1977, canal turned into overflowing pool
1978 • Local mother wondered if children’s epilepsy, asthma, and urinary tract infections were connected to their exposure to leaking chemicals • The Love Canal was covered in 21,000 tons of chemical waste • More and more children were born with birth defects
Information • In 1979, there were an extremely high rate of miscarriages • 2 out of 4 children had birth defects • Cleft palate, extra row of teeth, eye defect, slight retardation are the most common • 56% of children born from 1974-1978 had birth defects