{ title: 'The Spectrum (Buffalo, N.Y.) 1955-current, September 19, 1979, Page 11, Image 11', download_links: [ { link: 'http://www.loc.gov/rss/ndnp/ndnp.xml', label: 'application/rss+xml', meta: 'News about NYS Historic Newspapers - RSS Feed', }, { link: '/lccn/np00130006/1979-09-19/ed-1/seq-11/png/', label: 'image/png', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/np00130006/1979-09-19/ed-1/seq-11.pdf', label: 'application/pdf', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/np00130006/1979-09-19/ed-1/seq-11/ocr.xml', label: 'application/xml', meta: '', }, { link: '/lccn/np00130006/1979-09-19/ed-1/seq-11/ocr.txt', label: 'text/plain', meta: '', }, ] }
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i Warning: Hazardous Editor's note: Following is e list of some of the more important chemicals identified at the Love Cane! site and pfb human biologic hazards associated with them. It is obtained from the Love Cana / special report. “Public Health Time Bomb. “ for the Governor and State Legislature in September 1978. COMPOUND ACUTE EFFECTS CHNONK EFFECTS Narcosis Skin irritant Acuta leukemia Aplastic anemia Pancytopenia Chronic lymphatic leukemia Lymphomas (probable) Narcosis (more than benzene) Anemia (possible) Leukopenia (possible) benzoic acid Skin irritant Convulsions High white cell counts —Marc Sharman WHO ME? Hooker Chemical, the corporation which buried the wastes in the Love Canal, has been accused of knowing which chemicals and their exact quantity ware dumped into the Canal. Hooker denies this, maintaining that it was not aware of the dangers until<recsntly. The corporation, while not liable under currant statutes, may be responsible under Common Law. But in the residents' ayes. Hooker is guilty. trichloroethylene Central nervous depression Skin irritant Liver damage Paralysis of fingers Respiratory and cardiac arrest Visual defects Deafness In the billions dibromoethane Skin irritant Finding the right law to make thoseliable pay for damages benzaldehydes Allergen methylene chloride Anesthesia Respiratory distress (increased carboxy Death hemoglobin) carbon tetrachloride Narcosis Hepatitis Renal damage Liver tumors (possible) by Paid A. Magglotto no idea of the “specific” chemicals in the Canal, adding that Hooker was also unaware. In a takeover bid by Hooker’s parent company (Occidental Petroleum Corp.) of another Corporation (the Mead Corporation) Mead’s lawyers felt it was unwise to be controlled by Occidental with massive damages pending against Hooker. Mead’s lawyers rejected the proposed takeover, contending that Hooker has a detailed year by year account of the names and quantities of chemicals it dumped in the Love Canal. Hooker maintains that this is simply not true and that any record of these chemicals has been compiled only recently by reviewing past production and sales records. Mead claimed that- Hooker's disclosure of its possible risks was not enough to transfer liability to the school board. Since Occidental’s takeover bid was withdrawn, these arguments were neyer debated in court. chloroform •> Central nervous narcosis Skin irritant Respiratory irritant Gastrointestinal symptoms ,Clty Editor Ravaged by a crisis that tore their community from its roots, lurks the pleas of the Love Canal’s “hotel people”—a painful plea to pinpoint who is responsible for the chemical destruction of their neighborhood. Amidst the crisis, residents continue to worry about the priceless harm to themselves and their children, while no one is sure where the estimated millions of. dollars will come from to pay for the massive clean-up. To date, New York State has been forced to pay much of the cost. Reimbursement for purchasing the homes of relocated residents was refused the Federal Disaster Assisatnce HIGH.. .GOSKYDIVIN PARA-TECH SKYDIVING CLUB offers - $50.00 - A COMPLETE COURSE (includes 2 Jumps) *yaar round facilities •N.Y.S. approved school * arrangements for transportation Not applicable Furthermore, lawyers point out that the deed is restricted to an agreement between the school board and Hooker. Residents who were affected by the chemicals did not build their homes on the Love Canal site, but contiguous to it. Therefore, lawyers claim, the restriction does not apply to them. 716-637-4150/716-482-1257 Movies and Meeting Thursday, Sept. 20th at 7:30 pm in room 234 Squire Ha>, MSC Though Hooker may not be liable under existing statutes, the corporation may be responsible under Common Law principles. Such principles include; —the principle of “strict liability” which states that anyone using dangerous substances such as explosives or chemicals may be liable for injuries regardless of safety precautions taken. —the Mead Documents also claim that under New York State law, Hooker may be liable as a creator of a “public nuisance” which “interferes with the enjoyment and usage of land.” r m ~^rizr —-—-—-I L*. — The • * hair shack I 642COLVIW AVENUE JACK \ Leak? Onfe Mead memo charged that Hooker committed several “affirmative acts of negligence” for which it might be sued. They include: failure to properly enclose the dangerous chemicals in the dump; failure to disclose to the Board of Education the hazardous nature of the wastes; failure to warn of the potential migration of the wastes from the confines of the dump; failure to monitor and maintain or to recommend that the dump site’s surrounding area be monitored over the years; and failure to warn the Board and others that the site and surrounding area were unsuitable for residential use. Davis claims tht if Hooker had retained ownership of the land, it would have corrected the dangers as soon as a problem was apparent. A crucial question in any lawsuit will be: If nothing were built on the dump site, then would chemicals have leaked into the environment?.; Hooker contends thwart a contractor excavating near the site scraped away part of a protective clay bubble, resulting in a chemical leak. Other sources insist that the chemicals have been seeping out all along the underground conduits which lead to the Niagara River. leader Lois Gibbs Seeks Federal aid for residents Administration—typifying the limited federal assistance that the Love Cana] has received. NEED - Models, Mate and Female It appears that for years to come, the extent of the liability of the Hooker Chemical and Plastics Corporation will remain unresolved. Hooker already faces over -$2.5 billion in damages in lawsuits filed by Love Canal residents. Furthermore, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced its intentions to sue the chemical corporation for its dumping of toxic wastes. for demo hair arts — MONDAYS ONLY! \SKCIAL PUKE $t.(H) CALL 875-5930 for Appt. Debated deed According to Hooker’s Vice President of Public Relations Bruce Davis, a caveat put in the deed of the land when it was sold to the Niagara Falls Board of Education clearly states that the school board will assume all responsibility for personal injuries or damaged property. Davis also noted that Hooker resisted the school board’s attempt to bury the land. He admits, hbuMVMVdie Board had
