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09/10/2005: The Poison Water of NOLA
"The National Environmental Trust today posted new details about the flood of toxic chemicals currently inundating New Orleans and the surrounding parishes in Louisiana on its website, Using federal-government data, NET prepared a list of dangerous chemicals present in 66 facilities in the New Orleans area.
These industrial chemicals range from formaldehyde to benzene to cyanide compounds and include neurotoxins, carcinogens and reproductive and developmental toxins. All chemicals listed were present before the storm in significant quantities and can be expected to be a part of the mix of contaminants currently flooding the city and flowing into Lake Ponchartrain.
NET compiled the list using 2003 data from the federal Environmental Protection Agency's Toxic Release Inventory.
NET also hosted an extensive briefing on New Orleans' toxic stew, with experts discussing the public health and long-term environmental effects of flood waters containing everything from raw sewage and dead bodies to industrial chemicals and thousands of gallons of fuels and oil.
The briefing is available for downloading as an MP3 at This link.
Courtesy of US News Wire.
Karen on 09.10.05 @ 08:50 AM CST
