More toxic ash unearthed near housing site
Lead and dioxins found near low-income housing site
Activist Alan Atkinson raises concerns about environmental hazards like lead and dioxins exposed by tree removal at the 800 Middle Street housing project, questioning if it's environmental racism.
HOUSTON - What’s new is that they have knocked the trees down and underneath the trees is all this exposed ash and we are talking about ash with lead with Dioxin with a whole range of ugly poisonous chemicals. . . Barium, Arsenic, Dioxins.
Neighborhood activist Alan Atkinson is talking about huge swaths of newly exposed incinerator ash unearthed near the controversial 800 Middle Street low-income housing project under construction on the near Eastside.
Does that amount to what they describe as environmental racism, putting people next to environmental hazards who have no place to go. ? It does and low-income families don't have a choice.
And so, they have to live next to this - and their kids will be exploring and playing in this contaminated earth.
Despite our extensive reporting on the generational health risks posed by this project - the Houston Housing Authority is plowing ahead with the $130 million, taxpayer-funded project - with plans to move residents in by the end of the year.