Issues: Health

On the Ground in New Orleans
An NRDC Fact-finding Mission, October 2005

  Introduction
Oil and Gas Spills
Hazardous Chemicals
Water Quality
Air Quality
Worker Safety
Solid Waste
 

  Click to view photographs
VIEW MORE PHOTOGRAPHS

Worker Safety

Tens of thousands of people are working to clean up the city, and city residents are starting to return to their homes. Most of the people we observed in areas with contaminated sludge and sediment were without any protective equipment. It was unusual to see workers wearing respirators, boots, gloves and protective suits. Workers often had sludge and dirt smeared on their bare skin, and were working in clouds of dust. The men and women who are working in the city every day on the cleanup effort are at highest risk for health problems, including injuries, illnesses from the sewage contamination, rashes from the chemicals in the sludge, and long-term health risks such as respiratory disease and cancer. The agencies in charge of the cleanup did not appear to be providing adequate personal protective equipment to the workers, and were not providing sufficient warnings and information to people who were returning to visit their homes in affected areas. -- GS

Photos all pages: Erik Olson and Gina Solomon


Sign Up For Our Monthly Newsletter

See the latest issue >

Related Stories

Simple Steps
A healthier you. A healthier home. A healthier Earth.
Is Organic Food Worth It?
The short answer is yes -- get the lowdown from This Green Life.
Pet Products May Harm Both Pets and Humans
Poisons in many pet pesticide products are not safe for pets or humans.
Dispatch from Toxic Town
The people of Anniston, Alabama, talk about what it's like to live with the lead, PCBs, and chemical weapons that have made their small town terribly toxic.

Find Your Favorite NRDC website

News & Blogs:
OnEarth
Switchboard
Nature's Voice
Activism:
BioGems
Polar Bear SOS
Health & Green Living:
Simple Steps
This Green Life
Global Warming & Energy:
Beat the Heat
Move America Beyond Oil
Ocean Protection:
Your Oceans
For Kids:
Green Squad
For Business:
Building Green
Market Innovation
Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2)
NRDC Cool Sites:
It's Your Nature
GreenDay+NRDC