Environmental Injustice: DDT Contamination in Triana, Alabama
The introduction of Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) in 1947 brought along the notable benefits of boosting the success and quantity of crops, as well as diminishing the amount of diseases carried by insects (DDT Contamination 4). At the time, DDT was seen as a lucrative and necessary product, and production of the insecticide was very popular in the mid-20th century. However, as time went on and evidence regarding the detriments of DDT started to unfold, people started to realize how hazardous this substance actually was. One community that was hit particularly hard by the presence of DDT was Triana, Alabama. Given the location of the DDT production factory, and the negligence to inform residents of contamination hazards, this particular case study brings into question the presence of environmental injustice.
What is the specific issue at hand?
Researchers have since discovered that the chemicals and toxins inside of DDT are linked to the heightened risks of pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, hypertension, debilitated brain functions, liver disease, diminished psychomotor control, obesity, increased cholesterol, reduced fertility, as well as other reproductive issues (Kreiss et al., 1981 as cited in Taylor 7). Clearly, no human should ever be exposed to this insecticide due to the fact that it is extremely hazardous to one’s health. As brilliantly stated in an excerpt from Rachel Carson’s, Silent Spring, “they should not be called ‘insecticides’ but ‘biocides’” (7). DDT destroys every living thing it comes into contact with, making the costs heavily outweigh the benefits. We know this information now, however, at the time of DDT’s peak of production, people were simply blinded by the progress they had seen regarding pests and insect-vectored diseases. Due to this ignorance, DDT continued to be produced in mass quantities and was improperly disposed of. As a result, the residents of Triana were one of many communities who suffered from its implications.
In 1947, the Calabama Chemical Company started their production of DDT a mere six miles from the residents of Triana, Alabama. The company was built on the Redstone Arsenal Complex, which was formerly owned by the Army, and had been leased to Calabama Chemical. After about 8 years of production, Calabama was bought out by the Olin Plant, who continued to manufacture and sell DDT out of their facility until about 1970 (Olin vs. Insurance Company, 1992; Roberts, Laughlin, Hshieh, and Legters, 1997 as cited in Taylor 7). According to the statistics presented in Dorceta Taylor’s book, Toxic Communities, “the plant operated seven days a week producing between one to two million pounds of DDT monthly” (7). As a way to dispose of their waste, Olin dumped DDT-contaminated water into pits and ditches that were eventually emptied into the Huntsville Spring Branch and Indian Creek, two tributaries that flowed into the Tennessee River near Triana (7). Triana residents had historically fished in the Indian Creek, and utilized the Tennessee River as their main drinking water source. Since they subsisted off of these resources, they continued to do so during the operation of the Calabama and Olin plants; however, the manufacturers of these companies failed to inform residents that their water and fishing sources were being polluted (7).
Who are the key actors?
The Olin plant is the main player in this case study given that they were the main manufacturer and contributor of DDT pollution. Though Olin is more heavily involved with the repercussions, Calabama Chemical Company is also responsible for damage, due to evidence that DDT was leaking into local water sources while they were still in business (Taylor 8). The Army is also another key actor in this situation. Due to the fact that they leased Redstone Arsenal to the DDT producers, they also put in place several regulations regarding how much DDT waste could be discharged into the water ways. Despite these regulations in place, Olin continued to exceed these limitations and contaminate water sources through the 1960s (Taylor 9). After DDT was nationally banned by the government for being a toxic and hazardous substance, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) ran tests on the local water sources and fish near Triana. They found astronomically high levels of contamination, and subsequently ordered the Army to clean it up. However, the Army initially refused, on the grounds that any contamination outside of their facility was not their property, and therefore not their problem (Taylor 10). Eventually, they agreed to take on the responsibility, and began taking action towards decontaminating the area. Of course, the most notable people in this situation are the residents of Triana, who were continuously exposed to the adverse effects of DDT over the years. Even though Olin, the Army, and government agencies were all aware of the severity of this issue, the citizens were not informed and tested for DDT hazards until three decades after the initial detections of contamination (Taylor 10).
What are the demographics of the community?
By majority, the residents of Triana, Alabama are 75% African American. In fact, “866 out of the 1158 residents are black” (DDT Contamination 15). Not only are citizens of Triana predominantly people of color, but they are primarily lower class as well. To present numerical statistics regarding their economic status, “the median income of African Americans in Triana is $9,659 dollars per year and the town average was $10,428 per year” (DDT Contamination 15). Given these factors, the residents of Triana were extremely vulnerable and seen as an easy target by manufacturing companies, particularly Calabama and Olin.
Is this an example of environmental injustice?
The concept and process behind environmental injustice is that, “hazardous facilities are concentrated in minority and low-income communities in the U.S. and... those communities are exposed to inordinate amounts of environmental hazards (Taylor 1). While neither Calabama Chemical Company nor Olin Plant explicitly stated that their site of production was chosen because of demographic factors, it is a common trend for superfund sites to locate in places such as Triana. They do this because citizens in marginalized communities have minimal opportunity to speak out against these corporations due to lack of funding, legal protection, as well as a disadvantage when it comes to the dynamic of social hierarchy and power.
Given all of the factors that played into this case, it is safe to assume that the DDT contamination of Triana, Alabama was indeed another example of environmental injustice. We can see this in the sense that the DDT site was located in close proximity to the community because of the social and economic standing of Triana. However, the biggest violation of environmental justice in this specific case is that those involved with the DDT companies knew about the contamination of Triana waterways and fish, yet they failed to tell residents about these dangers until several years after initial discovery. Clyde Foster, who was the mayor of Triana at the time, argued that federal organizations withheld their knowledge about DDT levels and hazards so they could use Triana citizens as “guinea pigs” in order to see what the health damages of DDT exposure would be (Taylor 10).
What are the adverse health effects on Triana residents?
Even though health hazards of DDT were well known among the corporations and federal agencies involved with this case study, it was not until 1978, 31 years after the DDT plant had begun production, that residents of Triana were warned and tested for contamination (Taylor 10). The citizens in this community are heavily dependent on the fish they catch in Indian Creek, as it is a critical food resource. Conducted studies showed that, “median fish consumption was 4.3 fish meals per month, however, some study participants reported consuming fish once or twice daily” (Kreiss et al., 1981 as cited in Taylor 11). The health risks of fish consumption in Triana was an alarming concern of the Public Health Service after conducting research in local waterways, yet it was not until years later that residents were notified (Taylor 9). This allowed the DDT to accumulate in their systems for years and years, worsening the health defects over time. In 1979, the U.S. average for DDT levels in the human body was around 15 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml). However, when the Triana residents were tested, researchers found that the average DDT levels were around 159.4 ng/ml, though “six participants had between 1,000 and 2,820.5 ng/ml of DDT in their systems” (Taylor 11). Given the health deficiencies that were found as a result of DDT in average Americans, one can only imagine the severity of illnesses in the Triana community.
What action has been taken? What solutions have been posed?
In total, 15 lawsuits were filed against Olin Plant on the grounds of personal injury and property impairment (Taylor 11). In order to settle the dispute, 1,200 plaintiffs and residents of Triana who had consumed polluted fish and water were reimbursed $10,000 each. Additionally, Olin agreed to decontaminate local water sources, reduce their DDT levels in catfish to 5 parts per million by 1997, and bury the polluted sediment remaining (Taylor 12). Further, Olin paid an additional $24 million: $19 million was distributed among residents over the span of several years, and the remaining $5 million was put towards instituting a healthcare program in Triana (DDT Contamination 20). Several government agencies collaborated with Olin in order to clean up contaminated areas that were in close proximity to Redstone Arsenal. Studies found that, “between 1985 and 1995, DDT levels were reduced by 97% in the waters surrounding the Redstone Arsenal and the town of Triana” (DDT Contamination 22).
Personal recommendations
While it is a victory that a superfund site actually took responsibility for their actions and cleaned up their mess, this sadly does not occur as often as it should. My recommendation is that we use the story of Triana, Alabama to prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future. One way we can do this is by enacting the precautionary principle as a standard in our society. Basically, this principle, “ensures that a substance or activity posing a threat to the environment is prevented from adversely affecting the environment, even if there is no conclusive scientific proof linking that particular substance or activity to environmental damage” (Cameron, Abouchar 2). Through this approach, we can avoid crises before they even have the chance to become an issue. This, in turn, will inhibit environmental damage, human exposure to danger, and the perpetuation of corporate control and devastation.
In conclusion, the story of Triana, Alabama is a crucial example of how corporations continue to violate the ethical standards of environmental justice. Due to the fact that Triana residents are marginalized because of their race and socioeconomic status, the Olin Plant proceeded to contaminate their land, water, fish, and people. As if polluting their resources was not enough, Olin and other federal agencies withheld knowledge about DDT contamination for over three decades, allowing Triana citizens to be directly exposed to health hazards. Though the case was settled in court and the city was compensated, the residents are still affected by the adverse effects on DDT exposure and contamination. This is just one of many instances of environmental injustice in marginalized communities. Measures need to be taken in society so that innocent people do not have to suffer the consequences of corporate destruction.
Works Cited
Cameron, James; Abouchar, Juli. “The Precautionary Principle: a Fundamental Principle of Law and Policy for the Protection of the Global Environment” Boston College International and Comparative Law Review. [Vol. XIV, No. 1]. 7, April 2019.
Carson, Rachel. “The Obligation to Endure.” Silent Spring, Houghton Mifflin Company, 1962, pp. 1–6.
“Environmental Justice Case Study: DDT Contamination.” Triana Justice Page, www.umich.edu/~snre492/triana.html.
Taylor, Dorceta. “Toxic Exposure.” Toxic Communities: Environmental Racism, Industrial Pollution, and Residential Mobility, New York University Press, 2014, pp. 6–12.