A sign hung from the fence of a home located in love canal. NBC Archives
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Love Canal is a neighborhood in Niagara Falls New York. From 1942 to 1953 The Hooker Chemical Company used the area as a chemical waste dump. In 1953 the Hooker Chemical Company sold the land to the city of Niagara falls for $1, with a clause absolving the company from any future liability. 260 houses and apartments were built adjacent to the disposal site. In the subsequent years, the Love Canal neighborhood experienced high rates of miscarriages, birth defects, and learning disabilities. It was not until the 1970’s that public awareness and outrage grew over the mishandling of the former dump site. Lawsuits and citizen outcry against the city prompted a clean up effort and in 2004 the U.S government declared that the site was habitable once again. Known as a major environmental disaster the Love Canal incident led to new legislation as well as studies that helped grow understanding of hazardous chemicals and safe disposal practices.
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