CIOLFAX, eLouisiana Kwiminyaka emibini edlulileyo, umkhosi wase-US wawunentloni ezandleni zawo: Inqwaba yeziqhushumbisi ezalupheleyo zaqhuma kwindawo eyayisakuba yimbumbulu yoMkhosi eMinden, eLouisiana, yathumela ilifu lenkunkuma eliziimitha ezingama-7,000 esibhakabhakeni.
Abahlali basekuhlaleni, bothuswe kungcoliseko oluyityhefu olusuka kule ngozi, abazange bacaphuke xa befunda ukuba umkhosi wawufuna ukwenza ntoni ngezi 18 lezigidi zeeponti zeziqhushumbisi ezindala ezisaseleyo kwindawo yokugcina. Umkhosi wawumiselwe ukulahla iziqhushumbisi ngento eyaziwa ngokuba "kukutsha okuvulekileyo," iinkqubo ezinokuthi zibangele ukukhutshwa kwezinto ezingcolisayo.
Ukujongana nesiphithiphithi, uMkhosi waguqukela kwiqabane eliqhelileyo ukuba lincede abahlali baseMinden: Indawo yabucala eColfax, iikhilomitha ezingama-95 emazantsi, eqhutywa yiClean Harbors, unokontraka weSebe lezoKhuselo ixesha elide kunye nomnye wabaphathi benkunkuma enobungozi eMntla Melika. .
Isityalo saseColfax sikuphela kwendawo yorhwebo esizweni evunyelwe ukutshisa iziqhushumbisi kunye nenkunkuma yezixhobo ngaphandle kokulawulwa kokusingqongileyo, kwaye ibisenza oko emkhosini amashumi eminyaka. Ke ngelixa uMkhosi ekugqibeleni wayalela isitshisi esikhethekileyo sokulahla uninzi lweziqhushumbisi zaseMinden, ngaphezulu kwe-350,000 yeeponti zazo zathunyelwa apha. Kwiinyanga ezalandelayo, izixhobo zokudubula zatshiswa kumhlaba womzi-mveliso, ziphembelela imililo evuthayo eyayikhuphela umsi emoyeni kumgama ongamakhulu eemitha ukusuka kumahlwempu, ingakumbi abantu abantsundu.
Ngaphaya kwebali leziqhushumbisi zase-Minden, indawo ye-Clean Harbors apha iye yaba yindawo ebalulekileyo yokucoca inkunkuma enxulumene nomkhosi njengoko iSebe lezoKhuselo kunye neekontraka zalo zisokola ukujongana nezinto ezinobungozi eziphuma kwimveliso yezixhobo kunye neemfumba ezinkulu zezixhobo ezalupheleyo. Kangangeminyaka, iifemu ezinxulumene nokhuselo bezitshisa le nkunkuma kwiindawo zazo, zibambelele ngenkani kulo mkhwa nanjengoko ubuvaliwe kwiindawo ezithile zaseYurophu naseCanada. Kodwa iimvume zokwenza oko kuye kube nzima ukuzifumana, imiqathango ayibhebhetheki kangako, kwaye, ngokwandayo, ungcoliseko olungamkelekanga kuluntu olungqongileyo. Amazibuko acocekileyo anika indlela esemthethweni yokususa izinto eziyingozi kuluhlu olubanzi lweendawo ezingakwaziyo okanye ezingafuni ukuzisingatha ngokwazo.
Ngo-2015 kuphela, iiponti ezingama-700,000 zezixhobo ezinxulumene nomkhosi kunye neziqhushumbisi zathunyelwa ngeelori zaya eColfax, apho omabini amazibuko acocekileyo kunye nomkhosi ukuza kuthi ga ngoku bakwazile ukogqitha uluntu olunenkxalabo eninzi kodwa yimali encinci, kunye nempembelelo encinci yezopolitiko, ukuba balwe. .
ISebe lezoKhuselo alizange liphendule imibuzo malunga nokusetyenziswa kwe-Clean Harbors yokutshisa indawo e-Colfax, okanye iinkxalabo zokusingqongileyo ezinxulumene nayo.
Into yokuba loo mpahla ithunyelwa ngenqanawa naphi na ibonakala iphikisana nebango ekudala likho emkhosini lokuba le nkunkuma iyingozi kakhulu ukuba ingashukunyiswa, ngoko ke imele itshiswe elubala apho yenziwe okanye isetyenziswe khona. Ukanti minyaka le, iziseko zomkhosi kunye neekontraka zokhuselo zithumela izixhobo okanye ezinye izinto eziqhumayo eColfax, zipakisha iziqhushumbisi kwiibhokisi zekhadibhodi, zizishicilele kwii-wheelers ezili-18 kwaye ngamanye amaxesha ziqhube amawaka eemayile kwilizwe lonke. Ukuhanjiswa kwemiboniso efakwe kunye nabalawuli baseLouisiana baneenkcukacha ezahlukeneyo zezinto: i-rocket fuel evela kumzi-mveliso we-missile kufuphi ne-Los Angeles; iziqhushumbisi ezivela kumzi-mveliso wezixhobo zemfazwe eArkansas; ukuqhushumba kweefusi ezivela eCincinnati; ipropellant eqinileyo evela kumzi-mveliso we-Aerojet Rocketdyne eVirginia; ilothe eqhumayo evela kumzi-mveliso weenqwelomoya zomkhosi waseNorth Carolina; iirokhethi zemfazwe ezivela kwiziko le-Lockheed Martin e-Alabama.
Zakuba zifunyenwe, zitshiswa kwiseti yeepani ezingama-20 ezinemigca yentsimbi kwindawo yokupaka-efana nendawo yokupaka ikhonkrithi โengenamngcipheko kwimpilo yabantu okanye kokusingqongileyo,โ ngokutsho komongameli omkhulu weClean Harbour ngokuthotyelwa kunye nemicimbi yolawulo, Phillip Retalick.
Ukutshisa kwenzeka amatyeli aliqela suku ngalunye, kwaye xa besenza njalo, bajika iinxalenye zeColfax zibe yindawo yemfazwe ebonakalayo.
โKufana nebhombu, ishukumisa le nqwelwana,โ utshilo u-Elouise Manatad, ohlala kwenye yezi zindlu zilishumi elinesibini okanye ngaphezulu ezijonga induli kumakhulu ambalwa eemitha ukusuka kumda wale ndawo. Impuku yeembumbulu kunye neziqhushumbisi zigqobhoza emahlathini kwaye uqhushumbo lukrazula iifestile kumgama oziikhilomitha ezili-12. Umsi oshinyeneyo, omnyama ufikelela kumakhulu eemitha emoyeni, uthomalalisa iziqwenga zesibhakabhaka eziqaqambileyo ezibonakala kukhusi lwehlathi. Umtshana kaManatad uFrankie McCray - osebenze iindwendwe ezimbini kwiCamp Victory e-Iraq - ubaleka ngaphakathi aze atshixe ucango, egxalathelana ebumnyameni emva kweefestile ezigqunywe yi-tinfoil.
Njengoninzi lwabantu abahlala apho, uManatad noMcCray bakufumanisa kunzima ukukholelwa ukuba iibhomu kunye namafu azifuni uhlobo oluthile lwexabiso eliyityhefu.
I-Colfax yidolophu emnyama enabantu abayi-1,532 ababamba i-levee eyahlula kudaka kunye neengwenya zasendle zoMlambo oBomvu. Amakhoboka abalekayo ayekhe amisa iintente phantsi kweentente ezifulelwe ngengca kwi-bayou, kwaye uphawu lwembali lusebenza njengesikhumbuzo sokuba ngaphezulu kwe-150 "ama-negro" akhe abulawa apha. Elinye ilitye lesikhumbuzo, elisemangcwabeni elikumgama ongekude, lincoma amadoda amathathu amhlophe nawo afayo, โnjengamaqhawe โฆ esilwela ukongama kwabamhlophe.โ
Namhlanje idolophu ilingana nokuwohloka kwezakhiwo zembali ezidilikayo ezinezikhululo zegesi ezibini, indawo yokutyela kunye nevenkile yokulungisa, igrosari, ivenkile yehardware kunye nekhemesti apho abantu balapha bazulazula kwitafile ebomvu yesidlo sangokuhlwa se-50s eneekomityi ze-10-cent ye kofu. Ukusukela oko oohola bendlela bathatha indawo yeenqanawa zomlambo bekunzima ukwakha uqoqosho apha, kwaye umndilili waseColfax wamkela malunga ne-13,800 yeedola ngonyaka.
โSinokuba ngumthi omncinci,โ utshilo uTerry Brown, osapho lwakhe lwafudukela eColfax ngo-1817 kwaye ngoku omele indawo kwiNdlu yoWiso-mthetho yaseLouisiana. โKwaye nangona sihlala kwindawo enabantu abantsundu kakhulu, xa becheba umnwe usaphuma igazi elibomvu. Kwaye sifuna indawo ecocekileyo.โ
NgoNovemba ophelileyo, amagosa okusingqongileyo apaka iveni yokuhlola umoya kwindlela yaseBush kwiingcango ezimbalwa ukusuka kwinqwelwana ka-Elouise Manatad. UManatad uthi zange bamxelele into abayenzayo okanye abayifumeneyo, kodwa iisampulu zelebhu ezifunyenwe kurhulumente zibonisa abalawuli bendalo esingqongileyo bachonge amanqanaba abonakalayo e-acrolein, umphunga onetyhefu kakhulu odla ngokunxulunyaniswa nokutshiswa kwezixhobo. Ulwahlulo lwamaZiko e-US oLawulo lweSifo kunye noThintelo luchaza i-acrolein "njengevumba elibi" kwaye ibangele iingxaki ezinzima zokuphefumula kunye nokuhlaselwa yintliziyo - nakwizinga eliphantsi kunye neenyanga ze-18 emva kokuvezwa.
Iingxelo zelebhu zikwabonise amanqanaba asezantsi ezinye iikhompawundi eziguquguqukayo, kubandakanya ibenzene, eyaziwa ngokubangela umhlaza, kwaye iWorld Health Organisation ilumkisa ngelithi "akukho nqanaba likhuselekileyo lokuvezwa."
Umhlaba, amanzi aphantsi komhlaba kunye neebhedi zemisinga ezithathwe kwisiza samazibuko acocekileyo kwezi nyanga zimbalwa zidlulileyo zikwafunyaniswe ukuba zinezinto eziyingozi kakhulu ezinokuthi ezinxulumene nokutshiswa kwenkunkuma yezixhobo. Ubonelelo lwamanzi angaphantsi komhlaba lusampula kulo mboniso we-perchlorate, uhlobo lwamafutha e-rocket, kumanqanaba angaphezu kwe-18 e-Louisiana yokuqalisa uvavanyo olongezelelweyo kunye namaxesha asibhozo amakhulu kunoko iCalifornia, ebeka imida engqongqo yolawulo kwi-perchlorate emanzini aphantsi komhlaba, iimvume. I-RDX kunye ne-HMX, zombini iikhompawundi zokudubula zomkhosi, nazo zabhaqwa. Umhlaba ovavanyiweyo kufuphi nomgca wocingo lweziko uqulethe i-dioxin - ikhemikhali eyakha kwintlanzi kwaye ichaphazela inkqubo yokuzivikela yomntu, yokuzala kunye ne-nervous - kathathu imida ebangela ukuphononongwa kokhuseleko lombuso. Intlenga yentlenga ikhutshiwe kumandlalo womlambo oya ngakumda wocingo lwesityalo kwaye ifama ekufutshane iqulathe ilothe phantse ngokuphindwe kane kwinqanaba elibangela uhlolo olongezelelweyo lukarhulumente.
Ukuhlolwa kwelizwe kwafumanisa ukuba amazibuko acocekileyo aphula imithetho emininzi, kuquka ukuphatha inkunkuma eyingozi ngeendlela ezingavumelekanga, ukungakwazi ukulungisa iipads zayo zokutshisa, kunye nokukhupha ukungcola okungagunyaziswanga ngokuphulwa kwemvume yayo yamanzi karhulumente.
Indawo yokutshisa iqale yavulwa eColfax ngaphezulu kweminyaka engama-30 eyadlulayo, kwaye iClean Harbors yayifumana ngo-2002 kwinkampani ebizwa ngokuba yiSafety-Kleen. URetallick uthi namhlanje lutyando olucolekileyo, kwaye uyazikhaba izinto ezifunyanisiweyo ezingcolisekileyo. I-acrolein kunye ne-benzene yabangelwa yinto enye ngaphandle kwendawo - mhlawumbi i-traffic traffic okanye imililo ye-barbeque, wathi, eqaphela ukuba zifunyenwe kumanqanaba angasemva urhulumente alinganiswe ngeentsuku ngaphandle kokutshisa. Olunye ungcoliseko luqulethwe kwipropati yeehektare ezingama-740 eClean Harbors, okanye lubekho kwindawo ephantsi ngolo hlobo alubeki mngcipheko.
"Ithamo lenza ityhefu, kwaye ithamo ligxininise ekuhambeni kwexesha," utshilo, esongeza ukuba iClean Harbors igcina ukuba iziqhushumbisi zayo zitshiswe ngokupheleleyo emlilweni. โUluntu aluqondi nje ubume bezinto eziyityhefu ezisemoyeni, emanzini nasemhlabeni.โ
"Ndicinga ukuba imbono yabo yomngcipheko ayizange ikhutshwe zizifundo ezenziweyo ezibonisa ukuba umngcipheko awukho."
Amagosa esebe lezempilo likarhulumente axhasa lo mbono xa behlalutya idatha yesampulu yomoya - kubandakanywa i-acrolein kunye nebenzene - kwaye baqukumbela ngoFebruwari ukuba nangona iziphumo "zisekelwe kwinani elincinci leesampuli zomoya eziqokelelwe ngexesha elifutshane kwaye zingabonakali. Utyhileko lwexesha elide ... iziphumo azibonisi ukubakho kweziphumo ezibi zempilo." Amagosa karhulumente okusingqongileyo asahlalutya iisampulu zamanzi kunye nomhlaba, kubandakanya i-dioxin kunye nokufunyanwa okukhokelayo, kwaye kodwa uxelele iProPublica ukuba balindele ukuba ngexesha ezo ndawo zinokuthi zifakwe ngabantu, ziya kuba zihlanjululwe kangangokuba kungabikho soyikiso. .
โAmanzi aphantsi komhlaba aphelela kwindawo encinci engcwatywe kumbindi wale ndawo,โ utshilo uGregory Langley, isithethi seSebe laseLouisiana loMgangatho wokusiNgqongileyo. Urhulumente ucinezela amazibuko acocekileyo ukuba alungise ungcoliseko kwindawo yakhe, kodwa kunjalo, uye wachaza iziphumo โnjengezixhalabisa kakhuluโ kubahlali abakufutshane.
I-ofisi ye-Clean Harbors yalapha e-Colfax ikwi-trailer ebanzi kabini ngaphandle kwedolophu. Ngaphakathi kwitreyila, imephu yase-United States ijinga eludongeni olunye, ineentambo ezifakwe kwindawo ezingama-42 ubuncinci kwiindawo ezingama-22, ezimele amaziko omkhosi aseMelika okanye iikontraka zokhuselo ezithumela inkunkuma enoqhushumbo apha.
Amachweba acocekileyo, asekelwe eMassachusetts, akayi kuthetha ukuba iPentagon ihlawula kangakanani ukutshisa iziqhushumbisi zayo, kodwa mhlawumbi i-sliver nje yeshishini lenkampani yelizwekazi, eyazisa i-$ 2.7 yezigidigidi kwiingeniso ngo-2016. Ngonyaka oqhelekileyo. , U-Retallick uthe, inkunkuma enxulumene nokukhusela inokuthi iphendule ngaphantsi kwesithathu kwishishini le-Colfax plant. Utyhola impikiswano yokukhutshwa kweziqhushumbisi kuMkhosi waseMinden ngokuphazamisa iprofayile yenkampani ngenye indlela.
โKangangeminyaka engama-30, akukho mntu usikhathaleleyo yaye ngequbuliso saba ngundaba-mlonyeni,โ wakhalaza. "Siye saba yinto ekujoliswe kuyo efanelekileyo."
Uninzi lwabahlali abamnyama abahlala kufutshane nesi sityalo babona imbali ngokwahlukileyo. Bathi sele beneminyaka benenkxalabo ngempilo yabo. UManatad uhlaselwa sistrowuku rhoqo kunye nosulelo lokuphefumla. Uthi ubuncinci abahlanu kubamelwane bakhe banezigulo zedlala lengqula, imeko edityaniswe nokuvezwa kwi-perchlorate. Abahlali bahleba ngabasebenzi ababefudula betshisiwe abasweleke ngumhlaza.
Ukuqala kokuthunyelwa kwempahla yaseMinden, amatsha ntliziyo angaphandle kwedolophu awayechasa ukutsha kweziqhushumbisi ezikhulu kummandla osemantla welizwe beza eColfax baza bafumana abaphulaphuli abalungelelanisiweyo, abathetha amazwi phakathi kweenkokeli zoluntu.
Ngentsasa yakutshanje, ezantsi induli ukusuka kwinqwelo erhuqwayo yaseManatad kwaye kufutshane nendawo enemali eninzi yeColfax, umoya onombethe wawungqindilili livumba leziqhushumbisi. Ukutsha kwesityalo kushiye ibala elimnyama esibhakabhakeni. Kwindlu yefama ethobekileyo ejikelezwe ziihektare zengca eluhlaza esondeleleneyo, uninzi lwabantu abamhlophe - ootitshala kunye nabaphathi berhamente kunye namafama - baxoxe ngendlela yokumisa ukutshisa okuvulekileyo kwindawo ye-Clean Harbors. Intlanganiso yaqala ngomthandazo kwisangqa. Ihempe yendoda yayifundeka ngolu hlobo, โYekisa ukutsha. Yala ukwenza ukonakala kweSibambiso. "
โEli liphepha-mvume lokushicilela imali. Ndidikiwe ngaba bantu,โ latsho elinye ibhinqa, uDolores Blalock. โIikhaphethi ezizimumu zaseYankee. โฆ Akuyomfuneko ukuba baqhube iziqhushumbisi kulo mmandla.โ
Abanye kule ntlanganiso, kuquka nomphathi wayo, nabo banezigulo zedlala lengqula, yaye baye bacinezela kangangeenyanga ukuze kuhlolwe umoya namanzi ajikeleze loo mzi-mveliso, nokuba iClean Harbors ifakele isitshizi sokutshisa umsi. โBasixelele ukuba abaphuli mthetho kwaye abafuni kuchitha imali,โ utshilo uWilma Subra, itshantliziyo kunye nenzululwazi yendalo esingqongileyo ehlala ithatha iinkxalabo zosulelo lwaseLouisiana.
UBrown, ummeli welizwe, uthi akakholelwa ukuba iClean Harbors yayiza kuhlala apha yonke le minyaka ukuba iColfax yayingengobantu abangafundanga, abanengeniso ephantsi. Kunyaka ophelileyo, kufutshane nomonde, uBrown wathatha into ebonakala ngathi linyathelo kuphela eliseleyo: Waxhasa ngezimali umthetho oyilwayo wokuthintela ukutshiswa kwenkunkuma eyingozi eLouisiana ngokuthe ngqo. Uthi: โNgokugqithiseleyo, abantu babeyithanda le nto.
Umthetho, nangona kunjalo, watsala umzi-mveliso weekhemikhali waseLouisiana ukuba uzimele. Amaqela oshishino karhulumente alumkise ngokuphulukana nemisebenzi. Amazibuko acocekileyo angenise abaphathi abavela kwilizwe lonke ababonise imifanekiso yeepads ezitsha ezipeyintiweyo, ezineentyatyambo kunye nengca esikiweyo, utshilo uBrown. "Baqeshe inkampani enkulu, enamandla kakhulu yokuphembelela ngokuchasene netyala, kwaye ndaqala ukubona abantu beshiya ngamnye ngamnye."
Emva koko, wathi uBrown, "Beze nobhedu." Igosa eliphezulu ukusuka e-Fort Polk yaseLouisiana - ekwatshisa iziqhushumbisi kunye nemvume yayo yenkunkuma enobungozi - weza eBaton Rouge kunye neqela lamagqwetha kunye neengcali zobudlelwane boluntu. Baye baxoxa ukuba ukutshisa yinxalenye yoqeqesho oluyimfuneko kumajoni ase-US abomi babo buya kuba semgceni e-Iraq ukuba abayazi indlela yokuqhumisa izixhobo zabo.
"Kufuneka ukwazi ukwenza umsebenzi woqeqesho," utshilo uStanley Rasmussen, umlawuli we-ofisi yomkhosi kunye ne-ofisi yamandla kwingingqi enamaphondo alithoba kubandakanya iLouisiana, odibene nabezomthetho malunga nebhili, kwaye waqinisekisa iakhawunti kwiProPublica.
Akukho bunzima bukhulu eLouisiana kuneSebe lezoKhuselo. Iqhuba uninzi loqoqosho lukarhulumente kwaye iqeshe abantu abangaphezu kwama-80,000. Umkhosi wadibana nomthetho kaBrown, ufuna ukukhululwa. Ifumene le nto ibiyifuna: UBrown, erhoxa, wenza isilungiso esivumela umkhosi ukuba uqhubeke nokutshisa ukuba umthetho oyilwayo upasisiwe. โNdandisazi ukuba andinamkhosi,โ watsho uBrown, โndandilahlekelwe ngumntu wonke.โ Kodwa umsinga wawusele ujikile.
Amazibuko acocekileyo achithe iintsuku ezingama-60 kunye nabenzi bomthetho eBaton Rouge bexoxa, njengoko uRetallick esitsho, "ukubanceda baqonde isayensi." Inkampani inikezele ngokuhlawulela iprojekthi yeziseko zogutyulo eGrant Parish, athe uBrown akavumanga. (uRetallick uthe uBrown uyicelile, wandula ke wala.) I-Clean Harbors nayo yanikezela ngokufakela iindlela zokubeka iliso zomoya kwintambo yocingo kwiziko layo eliseColfax, elamkele ilizwe, kwaye lisanda kulifaka. Umsi abawubonayo udada phezulu emoyeni).
Ekugqibeleni, inkampani yayibonakala iqinisekisa uwiso-mthetho ukuba iinkxalabo zikaBrown zazingenangqondo.
"Ndicinga ukuba uye waphakama kancinci malunga nokuchaza isikhundla sakhe," utshilo uRetallick. "Mhlawumbi abakhange baziqonde zonke iinkcukacha zento esiyenzileyo apho."
Ayiyiyo iLouisiana Chemical Industry Alliance okanye abameli abasuka kuMazantsi eQhinga, inkampani yokuphembelela eqeshwe yiClean Harbour, abaphendulanga kwizicelo zokunikwa kwezimvo kweli bali.
EColfax, umlo unyamezele. Urhulumente ucinezela iisampuli ezininzi zamanzi kunye nomoya. Igrogrisa amazibuko acocekileyo ngezohlwayo ngokunyhashwa kwawo. Isebe layo lezempilo lithembise ngokuqhubeka liwubukele lo mba. Kodwa phantse akukho mntu - ngakumbi iManatad kunye nabanye abahlala becinezelekile ngokuchasene nocingo lweClean Harbors - ulindele ukuba amagosa anyanzelise amazibuko acocekileyo ukuba ayeke ukutshisa ngokupheleleyo.
โNdiqinisekile ukuba bebephila kwindawo enje ngekhe bonwabe, kuba ayikhuselekanga,โ utshilo u-Annie Tolbert, oneminyaka engama-80, ephumle kubushushu obunzima kwiveranda yakhe ebiyelweyo. U-Tolbert uthatha i-steroids kwi-inhaler, emiselwe i-asthma yakhe enzima. โAbazukusiphulaphula kuba simnyama.โ
"Kodwa singabemi, nathi."
I-ZNetwork ixhaswa ngemali kuphela ngesisa sabafundi bayo.
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