ABOUT
Smart discussion of the latest science and news on toxins in your food, water, and air, and what government agencies should be doing to protect public health. Written by EWG staff.
DONATE TO EWG!
Help us protect your health and environment! Please donate $5 to EWG today.
GET EWG'S TIPS & ACTION ALERTS
Sign Up here to receive email updates and tips from EWG and stay informed on the issues that matter most to you.
ENVIROBLOG VIA EMAIL
Fluoride in your water: How much is too much?
Borax: Not the green alternative it's cracked up to be
Bottled Water Industry to EWG: Shut Up!
What's Inside: Clorox Shares a Little
SEARCH ENVIROBLOG
FEATURED
Support the 2010 Safe Cosmetics Act. It's Urgent.
Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle?
Cell phone radiation series - Part 2: 8 Ways to reduce your exposure
Test Your Knowledge of Cosmetics Safety: 8 Myths Debunked
EWG's Tips for Parents: The Series
EWG's Tips to avoid BPA exposure
EWG on TV
Cutting the Pork from U.S. Farm Bill
Sunscreen safety & DC drinking water
Perchlorate in people, kids' personal care products & plastics, and sunscreen
BPA in baby formula & safe cosmetics
What can I do about fluoride in my water?
What is new carpet treated with? What can I do?
Are stainless steel water bottles safe?
Is mineral-based makeup safer?
PEOPLE TALKING TOXICS
TALK TO US
Did we miss something? Email Enviroblog.
« Ask EWG: What can I do about fluoride in my water? | Main | "One of the largest human trials in history." »
Another Katrina legacy: Arsenic coated playgrounds
It's tricky to write about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent rebuilding of New Orleans. Today's headlines are full of contradictions. New Orleans is reveling "in a new spirit of innovation," but the second anniversary of the hurricane is marked by anger and sadness. President Bush is in the city for the day; depending on who you read he's either marking the anniversary, reassuring residents ("We understand"), or celebrating [NB: Fox News has changed their headline since the post was published. Apparently "celebrate" wasn't quite the word they were looking for.]. Regardless of the angle any particular journalist chooses, all of those headlines probably ring true for many.
But this is an environmental health blog, and I am an environmental health blogger, so it was this headline that caught my attention:
It appears that when the floodwaters swept through New Orleans they unearthed deeply buried arsenic-based pesticides. At least 6 of the city's schoolyards are coated with a layer of sediment contaminated with arsenic, in some cases a two- to three times the amount at which federal law mandates cleanup. The report calls for further testing to see how widespread the contamination really is. The NRDC report has prompted the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality deny responsibility.
Let's face it, the LDEQ probably has their hands full. The arsenic hazard study is only one part of the NRDC's report titled Katrina's Wake, which also outlines health threats from pollution and the massive amounts of trash the storm created and distributed. But NRDC experts are quick to point out that the arsenic problem would be quick and easy to fix -- especially compared to some of the city's other headaches.
Leave a comment