Some Missouri residents and lawmakers in the St. Louis area are advocating for quicker cleanup of toxic sites like the West Lake Landfill. Just Moms STL co-founders Dawn Chapman and Karen Nickel lamented the lack of prevention measures at the landfill, which was designated as a superfund site. Residents living close to these sites were unaware of their proximity to hazardous waste when they purchased their homes, highlighting the need for increased awareness and transparency.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been updating the public on cleanup efforts through social media, aiming to keep residents informed. The EPA added the West Lake Landfill to its national priorities list in 1990, making it eligible for federal funding for extensive cleanup actions. However, despite several proposed cleanup plans, progress has been slow, leaving residents frustrated with the lack of a firm timeline for completion.
The Army Corps of Engineers has been working to clean up toxic waste along Coldwater Creek, which has been contaminated since the Manhattan Project. Residents and lawmakers, like Missouri State Rep. Chantelle Nickson-Clark, are advocating for a faster cleanup process, as the current timeline estimates cleanup efforts to last until 2038, potentially well into the next century. U.S. Senator Josh Hawley has expressed outrage at the slow progress and called for more urgent action to address the contamination.
Efforts to clean up Coldwater Creek have involved comprehensive sampling along its 14-mile stretch, with focus on properties like Jana Elementary School, which was closed in 2022 after thorium contamination was detected on the premises. Advocates like Ashley Bernaugh and members of the Just Moms STL group have been vocal about demanding more transparency and accountability from federal agencies involved in the cleanup. The discovery of dangerous levels of thorium near the creek has raised concerns about the safety of surrounding areas and the need for thorough remediation.
Despite assurances from the Army Corps of Engineers that contamination levels at Jana Elementary were within safe limits, outside testing revealed the presence of thorium 230, a metallic form used in radioactive bomb waste. The discrepancy in findings between the Army Corps and independent testing has fueled distrust among residents and activists, who are calling for more comprehensive cleanup actions and compensation for those affected by the contamination. The ongoing cleanup efforts at both the West Lake Landfill and Coldwater Creek underscore the need for increased diligence and transparency from federal agencies to address environmental hazards and protect public health in the St. Louis area.
