Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Cancer Cluster Map, and What Lies Under Brooklyn

While we're all thinking about the oil spill, CORD reminds us that New York State recently unveiled a cancer cluster map. CORD says:

"In our humble opinions, we all need to keep a careful eye on this map (though it is slow to upload on some computers) especially those of us along the Gowanus Canal Corridors AND Public Place areas as many more residences are ultimately planned for those sites.   That will obviously expose us all to even more risks of varying kinds due to all the toxic chemicals planned to be moved around under the plan of 'residential development!'"

So naturally we looked up our neighborhood. Not bad -- about 20 cancers per a thousand residents. Other neighborhoods might have double this; a few have less. Some areas lean more towards one type of cancer than another. (Demographics probably explains some of these differences: more seniors, more Asians, etc.)

What Lies Under Your Building

What's also interesting is what type of potential hazards lie under (or inside) buildings near you:

The NYCTA at 40 Sands Street has a "hazardous waste generator," as does Con Ed on Hudson Ave. and some but not all dry cleaners. Con Ed is also an "air emission source."

The Brooklyn Supreme Court is an "air emission source" (but we knew that!). So is Poly Tech.

There's an "active solid waste site" at Chamber Paper Fibers, 139 Plymouth Street in DUMBO. There are several state superfund sites near the Brooklyn Navy Yard and in trendy Vinegar Hill. Also in Gowanus (surprise!).

There's a brownfield site at 166-180 Myrtle Avenue near the Flatbush Ave. Extension, and several in Gowanus. Gowanus also boasts Resource Conservation and Recovery Act Corrective Action Sites at 102 Third Street, active solid waste sites, voluntary cleanup sites, etc. A state superfund site is across the street from Thomas Greene Playground.

Have fun checking out your own neighborhood for hazardous waste sites and other hazards!
The New York Times has an article about the map.

Go to McBrooklyn's HOME PAGE.

No comments: