Click the play button on the video window to the right to see the storyWhen people think of soil and water contamination, the movie "Erin Brockovich" comes to mind, along with toxic chemicals like hexavalent chromium.
That is one of the chemicals that was found in Goodyear. The land surrounding the Phoenix-Goodyear Airport was originally operated by the Navy.
It changed hands several times over the years.
The contamination stretches 35 square miles, bigger than downtown Phoenix.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than two dozen dangerous chemicals werer left behind including hexavalent chromium -- a known cause of cancer.
About 100 miles away, nestled in downtown Payson, is a water treatment site.
For 10 years this plant has been treating toxic groundwater for a dangerous chemical called tetrachloroethene or PCE.
According to the EPA, the chemical causes liver damage and cancer.
So far, the cost of cleaning out the Payson's water supply is $10.8 Million, all because a dry cleaner used to operate there.
Another site is in south Phoenix. The business once shredded the parts of an automobile that wasn't metal. It is called, fluff.
The site is contaminated with arsenic, lead, cadmium and PCBs. There are numerous health risks, one of which is cancer.
Instead of cleaning up the mess, the state covered it up. Literally, they built a protective cap to block exposure.
Now, they say the site is ready to be used again.
Contamination sites still in operation are all around the Valley --- in addition to areas in Goodyear and Phoenix; Glendale, Scottsdale and Mesa have ongoing clean ups.
Arizona has a total of 47 toxic sites. But with budget cuts, 15 of those projects have been put on hold.
Click here to see a map of all the state and federal contamination sites.
The department of environmental quality is suppose to receive $15 Million a year to help clean up the mess, but that only happened once in the last 8 years.
This year that amount was cut by more than 40%.
Those cuts are affecting clean ups all across the state.
Another Superfund site is this old mine in the Dewey-Humboldt area.
According to the state, the mine left behind tailings and a landfill that had asbestos.
You breathe it in and the result is also cancer.
Katherine Anderson moved to Humboldt last fall. Two weeks later, signs went up and Katherine learned she was living right next door to arsenic and lead contamination left behind from the smelter.
She is hoping for the best. “I'm concerned. But I mean there's not a whole lot I can do about it as far as I know.”
There are two websites to check to see if you're neighborhood is contaminated.
One is through the federal government’s
EPA Superfund website. The other is through the
Arizona Department of Environmental Quality website. They have maps and lists of the state run sites.
To insist clean up takes place, contact your legislator.
