1.) What caused the toxic waste to begin being pushed to the surface? The Blizzard of 77 was the main cause. Spring came earlier and when the snow melted, it caused the river to overflow. The water was then forced in to the ground, making the chemicals rise to the surface. There was puddles of chemicals all around the Love Canal community.
2.) What are some of the health hazards associated with the chemicals dumped there? With the 400 chemicals that were stored there, many of the caused diseases. Some caused cancers and kidney failure, while others caused birth defects.
3.) Besides humans how are other parts of the ecosystem affected by this? The vegetation and the animals were effected. There were white patches of barren soil that plants were not able to grow on. The plants had there roots in the ground that was absorbing the chemicals. As it when into the vegetation, the animals were there to eat it up. They digested the chemicals that were in the plants. After they buried the chemicals, a nice grassy meadow grew over it. If we, as humans, did not suspect anything, than the animals probably did not, either. Both humans and animals were getting chemical burns from being outside. Many of the chemicals could cause cancers in the animals. They were just as vulnerable as we were.
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