A new tension is merging in the sphere of Chicago owing to the fiery arguments of environmental activists who are trying their best to put off the endorsement of a proposal. What does the scheme deal with? According to the prudence of environmentalists, something should be done straight away or else the proposal (in the pipeline) may allow crews to recycle soil from construction sites even if the dirt contains lead, arsenic, benzene and other chemicals.
Why is there such a cacophony? Wasn’t the concerned government conscious of the development? Well, the activists from the Pilsen neighborhood have their own stories. According to them, their community has too often been a dumping ground for toxic materials and that the ordinance, which will come before the City Council’s Environment Committee on Monday, raises too many questions to merit speedy approval.
The exact situation became more apparent from Kim Wasserman of the Little Village Environmental Justice Organization who said, “For many, many years the city has not taken soil contamination seriously, and it’s our responsibility as communities of color that are severely impacted to call upon them and say it’s too quick to make a decision.”
On the other hand studies reveal that the soil of the city does consist of pollutants on account of decades of heavy traffic and industrial activity. What is the need of the hour therefore? Experts feel that dirt removed from construction projects are required to be transported to landfills and replaced with earth that is taken from Downstate farmland in general.
It has been learnt that the ordinance is intending to enable the recycling of Chicago’s dirt at other construction sites on condition that tests showed that its level of contaminants was beneath thresholds established by the city and state.
What will be the result is not known yet but it seems that Pilsen activists will not cede so easily.
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