Why is times beach missouri famous

During the Vietnam War, this facility had been a producer of Agent Orange and the waste clay and water removed from the plant contained levels of dioxin some 2, times higher than the dioxin content in Agent Orange. Bliss would later claim he was unaware that the waste contained dioxin. In the meantime, he was spraying the dirt roads of Times Beach, as well as area horse stables, with the lethal material. As horses continued to die at area stables, the owners contacted the Center for Disease Control and Prevention who began an investigation in In December , the Meramec River flooded, further spreading the contamination through the town and other areas.

On December 23, citizens were informed the entire city was contaminated. Soon, panic spread and every illness and animal deaths were attributed to dioxin. Two years later, in , the entire population of more than 2, residents had been evacuated, with the exception of one elderly couple who refused to leave, and the town was dis-incorporated by executive order of the Missouri Governor.

The entire site was quarantined as residents moved on to other areas. But for the residents who moved, the scare was not over, as they continue to worry about the contamination effects on their long term health. Furthermore, with the wide press coverage at the time, the former Times Beach residents were shunned by their new neighbors, who feared the contamination.

It was the largest civilian exposure to dioxin in U. As to the lawsuits involving the chemical companies, no laws were in effect that regulated the disposal of hazardous waste at the time of the disposal.

For years after the evacuation, the site sat silently behind barricades protecting the curious public from the toxic threat, while the Federal Government decided what to do. After the soil was incinerated, the incinerator was dismantled and the site was turned over to the State of Missouri.

In May a horse arena was sprayed; within a couple of days, horses, cats, dogs and birds in the surrounding landscape died. A byproduct of Agent Orange is tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, commonly known as the toxic chemical dioxin. Many roads were sprayed in Times Beach between and , and the elexir was sold to horse farms, churches and small towns.

After tracking down the source to the toxic mix of chemicals that Bliss sprayed to suppress dust, the federal government mobilizes resources to investigate the dioxin contamination and where it was sprayed and stored by Bliss.

The Love Canal tragedy, in addition to widespread concern about dioxin contamination, are key events that spurred its passage. Columbia Missourian article, EPA conducts soil sampling. EPA continues to test for dioxin. Flooding along Meramec River, December Dioxin levels in the town are found to be times what the CDC considers safe. Hundreds of residents gather outside to hear the announcement over the loudspeakers. Image of consent decree Under the consent decree, EPA is responsible for excavation and transportation of dioxin-contaminated soils from eastern Missouri dioxin sites to Times Beach for incineration.

The state is responsible for long-term management of the Times Beach site. The settling defendants are responsible for demolition and disposal of structures and debris remaining after the permanent relocation; construction of a ring levee to flood-protect an incinerator subsite; construction of a temporary incinerator; excavation of contaminated soils at Times Beach; operation of the incinerator; and restoration of Times Beach upon completion of response actions.

This incinerator would eventually treat a total of , tons of dioxin-contaminated materials from 27 eastern Missouri dioxin sites, including 37, tons of dioxin-contaminated materials from Times Beach.

Louis Times set out to improve its circulation through a sales promotion that offered anyone who purchased a lot on the unsettled banks of the Meramec River a complimentary six-month subscription to the newspaper. Although the initial plan called for a vacation town, it wasn't long before a small community of predominately working-class families made their permanent home in Times Beach, partially due to the Great Depression rendering second homes impractical.

Despite its permanent residents, the small town did not have sufficient funds to pave its dirt roads. Officials were trying to find a way to combat the incessant dust, which was a nuisance to residents. In , town officials implemented a solution. However, the oil was being acquired through a subcontractor who was also getting rid of waste materials for the Northeastern Pharmaceuticals and Chemical Company.