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NEWS RELEASE
For immediate release
June 12, 2003
Contact:
Christine Knapp
Clean Water Fund (215) 640-8800
54 TOXIC CHEMICALS DETECTED IN LOCAL AIR
Citizens release report on neighborhood air sampling program
The air in Philadelphia may not be as clean as you may think. And concerned residents are taking matters into their own hands.
Clean Water Fund and the Community Labor Refinery Tracking Committee today jointly released their report "What's in Our Air", a report summarizing data collected by concerned citizens in the Bucket Brigade who are trained to use special air sampling buckets.
In the last year, citizens collected nine air samples, which combined paint an alarming picture of air quality in South and Southwest Philadelphia. In all, 54 different toxic chemicals were detected, including several that are known or suspected to cause cancer, developmental and reproductive defects, neurotoxic effects or act as skin or respiratory irritants. Of the 54 chemicals found, only five are monitored by the City's Air Management Services.
"What is most shocking is that on days when we had no odors or visible emissions, we still found chemicals that exceeded standards," said Joanne Rossi, President of the Community Labor Refinery Tracking Committee. "In fact, 78% of the time, the buckets detected air that was potentially unhealthy to breathe according to at least one standard."
At a Press Conference held this afternoon in a playground across the street from the Sunoco Refinery, community members young and old came out to show their frustration with the situation. For decades community members have had to deal with emissions from the refinery and the 250 other facilities listed in federal and state environmental regulatory databases. In addition to daily emissions, residents often suffer health consequences after accidental incidents such as fires and explosions like the one that happened on January 18th of this year.
Representatives from Clean Water Fund, the Community Labor Refinery Tracking Committee, the Philadelphia Physicians for Social Responsibility, Clean Air Council and the National Refinery Reform Campaign all spoke at the event, outlining numerous ways to protect the air in Philadelphia from further pollution.
Community Spotlight:
 Take a tour of our South Philadelphia
South Philadelphia, PA - People Fighting Back against Sunoco
Download the Bucket Brigade Air Samples Map
Download the "What's In Our Air Report"
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