In 2019, Valentine and his then-PhD student Veronika Kivenson, as well as their colleagues, revealed that they had discovered around 60 barrels of pesticide-polluted garbage on the property. Xia takes readers to the location of the submerged barrels that are leaking DDT in a longform piece that will be published in the Los Angeles Times on October 25, 2020.
A new generation of scientists has discovered barrels carrying DDT, a dangerous chemical that was outlawed decades ago and was thrown into the deep ocean by an earlier age of scientists.
Who dumped DDT in California?
TORRANCE, Calif. — The city of Torrance is home to the Torrance Police Department. Following the recent revelation that up to 500,000 gallons of the illegal pesticide DDT had been thrown into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Southern California, the Center for Biological Diversity issued a letter to Montrose Chemical Corporation, which is based in California.
Who manufactured DDT in California?
The southern California coast was contaminated with millions of pounds of DDTs and PCBs between the late 1940s and the early 1970s, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The majority of the DDT used in the United States came from the Montrose Chemical Corporation production site in Torrance, California.
How the LA coast became a DDT dumping ground?
Several decades ago, the seafloor between Los Angeles and Catalina Island was used as a dumping site for an estimated half-million barrels of garbage including the hazardous chemical DDT, which was dumped there.
How scientists discovered a massive toxic dump site off the LA coast?
The researchers were aware that barrels containing garbage contaminated with harmful substances such as DDT were buried under the surface: The enormity of the last century’s vast dumping operations was only hinted at by limited, but revealing, film and historical archives. However, the robots, which used sonar technology to explore 36,000 acres of bottom, demonstrated that it was possible.
Is DDT still in the water?
Dr. Valentine stated that this should not have an impact on those who are swimming or surfing in the vicinity because DDT does not breakdown in water. However, according to him, it is possible that it has already infiltrated the food chain, making its way into fish and other marine life.
Who owns Montrose chemical?
Dr. Valentine asserted that this should not have an impact on those who are swimming or surfing in the region because DDT does not dissolve in water like other chemicals. However, according to him, it is possible that it has already entered the food chain and is making its way into fish and other aquatic life.
What happened to Montrose chemical?
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Montrose Chemical Corporation of California was the largest manufacturer of the pesticide DDT in the United States, and it remained the major producer until its manufacturing was discontinued in 1982.
Who dumped DDT in Los Angeles?
In the 1950s and 1960s, the Montrose Chemical Corporation of California was the largest manufacturer of the pesticide DDT in the United States, and it remained the major producer until its manufacturing was phased down in 1982.
What problems did DDT cause?
The health consequences of DDT at low ambient concentrations on humans are still unclear. When exposed to large levels of radiation, humans may experience symptoms such as vomiting, tremors or shakiness, and seizures. Animal experiments in the laboratory revealed negative effects on the liver and reproduction. In humans, DDT is regarded to be a potential carcinogen.
What does the pesticide DDT stand for?
DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) was the first of the current synthetic pesticides to be produced, and it was introduced in the 1940s. It was first employed with remarkable success in the prevention and treatment of malaria, typhus, and other insect-borne human illnesses in both military and civilian settings.
How long does DDT last in the ocean?
Since its introduction in the 1940s as the first of the modern synthetic pesticides, DDT (dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane) has become an industry standard. Initial applications included the treatment of malaria, typhus, and other insect-borne human illnesses in both military and civilian populations, and it was quite effective.
How do you clean up DDT?
Five remediation procedures have been used to clean up DDT-contaminated sediment sites: dredging, sediment washing, phytoremediation, in situ capping, and natural attenuation. DDT-contaminated sediment sites have been cleaned up using a combination of these technologies. The selection of the most appropriate remediation option is determined by the unique characteristics of the site.
Who manufactured DDT?
It was in St. Louis that the Michigan Chemical Corporation conducted research and manufacturing for DDT, which was subsequently bought by the Velsicol Chemical Corporation, and it had become a significant component of the local economy.
How did the scientist find the barrels?
Aerial photographs taken by underwater drones employing sonar equipment showed barrels laying 3,000 feet below the surface of the ocean all over the steep seabed that was being surveyed ″It came as a complete surprise to everyone who had worked with the data and who had sailed at sea,″ Terrill said in a press conference Monday.
What is DDT waste barrels?
An international group of experts recently uncovered tens of thousands of barrels of what they assume to be chemical waste. Unidentified barrel with what experts think to be DDT waste has been discovered on the ocean floor on the shore of Santa Catalina Island in California.
Why was DDT used in the 1960s?
Following World War II, the chemical’s production increased dramatically, and it became widely employed in crop spraying, as well as over busy beaches, to reduce pests such as mosquitoes, among other things. However, it was determined in the 1960s that DDT proved harmful.
Where was the largest manufacturer of DDT located in Los Angeles?
″ From 1947 through 1982, the nation’s biggest production of DDT was located on Normandie Avenue near Del Amo Boulevard in Los Angeles, where it was known as the DDT Plant. [Photo courtesy of Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times] The property is regarded one of the most dangerous places in the United States.