Has your local park been constructed on top of a Superfund site?
Across America, Superfund sites, some of the most contaminated areas in the country, have been converted into parks and field complexes used by our kids. CHEJ Science Director Stephen Lester is featured in a ABC7 Spotlight on America investigation by Joce Sterman addressing his concerns about the safety of these areas, due to their high levels of under treated toxic waste.
Stephen explained to Sterman that “‘If my kids were going to play on that field I’d want to have a certain comfort level in how much cleanup occurred there. And you have to start asking questions not only about the residual and what’s left but what are the barriers between that contamination and the kids playing soccer?'”
According to the investigation, at a Superfund site in Pennsylvania, most residents had never heard of the term and were not aware that their neighborhood parks were potentially dangerous.
The investigation created a map detailing areas across America where Superfund sites have been turned into parks and recreation centers. Read more
Submerged and Overlooked: The Midwest Flooding Crisis Through an EJ Lens
By Juliet Porter. At the start of April, devastating storms swept across parts of the Midwest and Southeastern United States, bringing tornadoes, violent winds, and
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April 16, 2025