| Abstract |
The Love Canal site is located in the southeast corner of the city of Niagara Falls and is approximately one-quarter mile north of the Niagara River. The canal was one of two initial excavations designed to provide inexpensive hydroelectric power for industrial development around the turn of the 20th century. Hooker Chemicals and Plastics Corporation (Hooker), now Occidental Chemical Corporation, disposed of over 21,000 tons of chemical wastes, including dioxin tainted trichlorophenols, into Love Canal between 1942 and 1953. In the mid to late 1970s, continued periods of high precipitation contributed to water accumulation in the disposal area causing chemically-contaminated leachate to be carried to the surface and into contact with residential basement foundations. Also, dioxin and other contaminants migrated from Love Canal to the sewers which have outfalls to nearby creeks. The remedial program at Love Canal has been extensive and has occurred in two phases. Approximately 30,400 cu yd - 40,900 cu yd of creek and sewer sediments are contaminated with 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, commonly referred to as dioxin. |
