Bye Bye, Hydrogen Sulfide: How a Grassroot Movement in Kearny, New Jersey Shut Down a Local Toxic Landfill
by Victoria Garziano
Site Description:
Keegan Landfill is a dumping ground located in Kearny, New Jersey. When opened in the 1950’s, this landfill was used to dump industrial waste, but in recent years, it had transformed to a landfill for construction debris. This wasn’t to include any debris containing asbestos or drywall, due to the dangerous gas, hydrogen sulfide, they emit once rained on. Nevertheless, drywall was dumped at Keegan Landfill, and the decomposition of said materials caused hydrogen sulfide emissions to exceed the NJDEP’s standards. In retaliation, the residence of Kearny sparked a grassroot movement that led to the end of Keegan Landfill. I hope to answer these questions; why was this location chosen for Keegan Landfill, and did race or economic class play a part in it? Why did this issue in Kearny, New Jersey, take so long to resolve? This research will be important for understanding how different groups of people have injustice when it comes to environmental health and safety standards.
Final Report:
Introduction
The Kearny, NJ residents put on their face masks, grabbed their protest signs, and marched their way up to Keegan Landfill. They all collectively wonder why it had come to this, why hadn’t the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) stepped in by now? Marching closer to the landfill, the protesters start to smell a rotten egg stench, coming from the Keegan landfill. These emissions have been affecting these residents for far too long, and they demand the landfill be capped and closed, as did a similar landfill not far from their small town. As they chant demands for the local government to act, you see the mayor of Kearny right up front, chanting along with them, equally as angry to the fact that it has come to this.
Keegan landfill was a demolition debris dumping ground since 2005, and up until 2020, remained active. It was open this long, and nothing was done until recent years. The landfill was supposed to not accept any gypsum board, otherwise known as drywall, but after the town started to smell a rotten egg odor, they immediately knew something wasn’t quite right[2]. When gypsum board gets weathered from the rain, it emits hydrogen sulfide, a toxic gas, which smells of rotten eggs. This toxic gas can cause many health problems[3]. Videos of gypsum board being dumped at the landfill, proved to Kearny residents their suspicions were right, in that gypsum board was in fact being dumped at the landfill. The hydrogen sulfide emissions exceeded the EPA’s standards, and still, the landfill remained active.
Meanwhile, another town in New Jersey, Roxbury Township, experienced a similar problem. They too had a landfill, Fenimore Landfill, with high hydrogen sulfide emissions. The cause of the stench was also because of decomposing gypsum board. Unlike Kearny, they didn’t have to protest and fight for the landfill to be shut down[4]. The only thing that differs between the two towns is their demographics.
Poor, minority neighborhoods are more likely to be a site for a toxic wasteland, both at the national level and the local state level.[5] Many minorities have migrated to these communities with toxic waste sites over time. The homes next to these sites were once the homes of white individuals who worked at the toxic sites, who eventually accumulated enough wealth to move out of the polluted neighborhoods. Toxic sites are also sometimes placed in existing minority neighborhoods because company’s assume minority communities lack the appropriate skill to create a resistance against them[6]. Fortunately for Kearny, this was not the case.
In this research paper, I will explore both the closing of the landfill in Kearny, New Jersey and Roxbury Township, New Jersey. I will briefly lay out the negative health effects of hydrogen sulfide. I will then dive deep into the history of both Keegan landfill and Fenimore Landfill and discuss what both towns had to do to shut down their toxic landfill. I will also show the demographics of both towns and compare the two. I will prove my argument, that low-income minority neighborhoods are more likely be a victim to environmental injustice
Keegan Landfill, Kearny
The Keegan Landfill, in Kearny New Jersey has been owned and operated by the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority (NJSEA) for nearly 15 years, and during this time, illegal dumping of gypsum board was taking place. The Keegan Landfill has been opened since the mid 1900’s, and only recently had it transformed into a demolition debris site. Although the site was not to accept any materials containing drywall, it was caught on camera on several occasions; gypsum board being left at the landfill. This was because proper monitoring of what enters and exits the landfill wasn’t implemented. Due to this fact, the amount of illegally dumped gypsum board at the landfill is unknown. Although the NJSEA denied their landfill being at fault for the hydrogen sulfide emissions, it was determined that they indeed did violate their permit by acquiring gypsum board at their landfill.
Hydrogen sulfide standards set by the State Department of Health determined levels of hydrogen sulfide emissions should not exceed 30 parts per billion (ppb). This is due to the health impacts that include respiratory problems, nausea, irritation to the eyes and nose, etc.[7] Kearny residents started noticing a strong rotten egg smelling odor, and upon further inspection with air monitoring stations that Kearny had acquired, found out the emissions of hydrogen sulfide coming from the landfill. Mayor Albert Santos, a big advocate for closing the landfill, verified this claim, by stating “there were 21 readings above 30 ppb [and] several were over 100 ppb”.[8]
Not only were the people of Kearny concerned for their own health, but they also were concerned for the health of their kids, for the Landfill was near a playing field and an elementary school[9]. Studies indicate that children exposed to hydrogen sulfide emissions are more susceptible to health issues relating to respiratory problems, and side effects such as abdominal pain and blurred vision. A case study from 1983 showed the correlation of school children complaining about headaches, dizziness, and other health ailments, with hydrogen sulfide emissions. Physical examination of the children turned up nothing. It was determined that the smell of the hydrogen sulfide emissions that originated outside the school, caused the children to experience these health problems. Although the EPA does not consider hydrogen sulfide to be an air pollutant. But in contrast to this claim, many studies indicate that hydrogen sulfide emissions can indeed cause side effects, due to the stench of the gas.[10]
Fortunately for Kearny, the landfill finally ceased operation. But this didn’t come easy. Kearny residents were fighting to get this landfill closed for years and for the mayor, he’s been trying to get it closed for over a decade.[11]
The Grassroot Movement in Kearny
The residents of Kearny formed a small grassroot movement to help fight for the closing of the Keegan Landfill. Many residents came together and fought hard to get their voices heard and their landfill closed. One method of resistance the residence of Kearny exhibited, was attending board meetings. The residents of Kearny attended a NJSEA board meeting in March of 2019, to address their concerns of the landfill’s hydrogen sulfide emissions to the president and CEO of NJSEA. There were over 100 upset Kearny residents, along with the Mayor of Kearny, Albert Santos.[12] Smaller groups of residents went to another board meeting in July 2019, and again, demanded the capping and closing of the Keegan landfill. One resident, Gerald Ficeto, asked hard questions to the board at this meeting. He called out the agency for not taking the health of the people of Kearny seriously. “The workers are wearing a four-gas meter. Can the agency supply four-gas meters for the entire town of Kearny so we can monitor and wear those safety devices the way the workers do?” said Ficeto.[13] Kearny’s Health Officer, Ken Pincus, said this to the board: “The residents simply [want] to live in a safe environment — nothing more. What residents [don’t] know is they were potentially exposed [to hydrogen sulfide] longer than they realized”.[14]
Another form of resistance the people of Kearny participated in, was a protest. On April 27, 2019, a crowd of over 300 residents marched toward the landfill’s main entrance.[15]
This picture was taken by Barbara Goldberg, during the protest that was held to spread awareness about the Keegan Landfills hydrogen sulfide emissions. This picture was found on the Town of Kearny’s website. At the center of the photograph, you a man holding up what appears to be a piece of drywall, toward the entrance of the Keegan Landfill. The man seen holding the drywall up is the Mayor of Kearny, who has been a strong advocate for closing the landfill. On the ground, you see more construction debris on the floor. During the protest, they many times called on Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy to fix this issue they were having.
In this picture, you can see the disappointment in the mayor’s eyes, as he picked up a piece of drywall that was supposed to be excluded from the landfill. You could almost feel the irony the mayor must have felt when he picked up a piece of construction debris and showed the protesters. The NJSEA tried to claim the hydrogen sulfide gas was not originating from their landfill, but right out in the open for everyone to see, was the debris that was causing Kearny to be experiencing high levels of hydrogen sulfide emission readings. This most likely fueled the
protesters anger, for they knew that that type of debris was banned from the landfill.[16][17]
Fenimore Landfill, Roxbury Township
Fenimore landfill in Roxbury Township, NJ was originally a solid waste landfill that got transformed into a demolition debris landfill in 2011.[18] Fenimore Landfill opened in the mid 1950’s as a private waste landfill, but was closed in 1979 due to the owner, Frank Fenimore, failure to get his engineering design approved.[19] The landfill changed hands following this and remained unused. Because of this, grass and trees started to grow on top of the old landfill. Although the landfill was no longer in use, the landfill was never properly closed, and instead of properly capping the old landfill, the department of environmental protection (DEP) decided to re-open the landfill as a demolition debris landfill.
Fenimore Landfill in Roxbury Township is very similar to that of Keegan landfill in Kearny. This landfill experienced high levels of hydrogen sulfide emissions shortly after the landfill started accepting sheetrock, which once decayed, can cause these emissions. The town immediately started to smell a rotten egg stench, and quickly determined the smell to be originating from the landfill. The town immediately sprang into action by installing hydrogen sulfide monitoring stations. The results proved that the hydrogen sulfide emissions exceeded the standards set by the State Department of Health. Within two months of these findings, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection took over, with plans to cap and close Fenimore landfill.[20] The closing of Fenimore landfill came relatively easy for this town. When compared to the closing of Keegan landfill, we see a very different dynamic. Although these two towns had the same problem, one town had their landfill closed and taken care of almost immediately, while the other had to fight for years to get theirs closed. Unlike Kearny, Roxbury Township did not have to protest, and there are no records of the town’s residents attending any board meetings to get their landfill capped and closed. Why was this the case? How come Fenimore landfill got shut down with very little pushback when compared to Keegan Landfill? The demographics of Kearny made it that much harder to close their landfill.
Demographics
Kearny’s demographics differ massively from the demographics of Roxbury Township. Kearny, New Jersey has a very high population of minorities. Kearny’s people of color population are in the 77th percentile in the USA. Additionally, Kearny’s low-income population is in the 60th percentile. With this information, it is no surprise that Kearny had suffered an environmental injustice. Low-income minority neighborhoods are more likely to be subjected to environmental injustice. This is due to these towns usually not having many regulations in place to prevent these issues.[21] Also, poor minorities do not have the resources to be able to afford to move out of these contaminated neighborhoods. An additional disadvantage Kearny has, is their population of non-English speakers. Kearny ‘s linguistically isolated population is in the 91st percentile. The language barrier is just another speedbump in the process to get change done in their town. It shouldn’t be a luxury for the rich, white, English-speaking individuals to be able to live in a town that is environmentally safe.[22]
The township of Roxbury has very different demographics from Kearny. For one, their people of color population are only in the 39th percentile. Their low-income population is in the 13th percentile, and their linguistically isolated population is in the 57th percentile. Not only are these numbers smaller than those from Kearny, but they’re also lower than the national percentile. This advantage had a roll in the speed at which Roxbury Township got their landfill closed when compared to Kearny.[23]
Conclusion
When it comes to the nature of the environmental issues that each town faced, the towns differed very little. Both landfills were transformed into demolition debris sites, which were subjected to high hydrogen sulfide emissions, due to gypsum board decomposition. Both towns wanted their toxic landfill closed, but the way the towns got their landfill closed is where they differ. Although you would expect the process in which each town got their almost identical landfill closed would be a similar one, but due to the difference in demographics between the town, this wasn’t the case. Kearny New Jersey had to fight tooth and nail to get their landfill closed. Not only did the town collectively attend board meetings to voice their opinions, but they also participated in a protest. These two methods performed by this grassroots movement, helped to finally get their landfill closed. The residence of Roxbury township didn’t have to perform such acts. I could find no record of the town attending any board meetings, nor did I find any evidence to show they participated in a protest.
Kearny, New Jersey had to work extra hard to get their landfill, Keegan, closed, while the residence of Roxbury Township, New Jersey closed their landfill, Fenimore with seemingly no obstacles. Although each landfill had many similarities, the towns themselves did have differences. Both landfills were experiencing the same problems. Each landfill had high hydrogen sulfide emissions due to the landfills accepting demolition debris. The towns were even near each other, but only one got their landfill capped and closed after their hydrogen sulfide emissions got high. Fenimore Landfill had their landfill closed in 2 years from the time they noticed their hydrogen sulfide emissions.[24] Keegan Landfill took over 10 years to close their landfill from when Kearny residence first started to smell the odor omitting from the landfill.[25] The only difference between these two towns were their demographics. Kearny had a very high minority, poor population, while Roxbury Township didn’t. I believe this was the reason that Kearny had to work extra hard for their landfill to be closed.
[1] “State Supreme Court Reinstates Closure of Keegan Landfill,” Town of Kearny, June 17, 2019, https://www.kearnynj.org/news/state-supreme-court-reinstates-closure-of-keegan-landfill/.
[2] Kevin Canessa, “NJDEP approves cover for entire Keegan Landfill,” The Observer Online, 2021, https://www.theobserver.com/2021/05/njdep-approves-cover-for-entire-keegan-landfill/.
[3] James Collins and David Lewis, “Hydrogen Sulfide: Evaluation of Current California Air Quality Standards with Respect to Protection of Children,” California Air Resources Board California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 2000,
[4] “Kearny Responds to DEP Release Dated July 25, 2019, Regarding Hydrogen Sulfide Emissions from the Keegan Landfill,” Town of Kearny, July 30, 2019, https://www.kearnynj.org/news/kearny-responds-to-dep-release-dated-july-25-2019-regarding-hydrogen-sulfide-emissions-from-the-keegan-landfill/.
[5] Rachel Massey, “Environmental Justice: Income, Race, and Health”, Global Development and Environment Institute, Tufts University, 2004, https://grist.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/massey_environmental_justice.pdf
[6] Michael H. Schill and Regina Austin, “Black, Brown, Poor & Poisoned: Minority Grassroots Environmentalism and the Quest for Eco-Justice”, University of Chicago Law School, 1991, https://chicagounbound.uchicago.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=8527&context=journal_articles
[7] James Collins and David Lewis, “Hydrogen Sulfide: Evaluation of Current California Air Quality Standards with Respect to Protection of Children,” California Air Resources Board California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 2000,
[8] Michaelangelo Conte | The Jersey Journal, “Kearny Mayor Says Nasty Smell at Town Landfill Could Pose Health Risks,” nj, February 19, 2019, https://www.nj.com/hudson/2019/02/kearny-mayor-says-nasty-smell-at-town-landfill-could-pose-health-risks.html.
[9] Paris and Davidson, “Minutes of April 15, 2018, Meeting of The Kearny Board of EducationResolution” (Kearny, NJ, n.d.).
[10] James Collins and David Lewis, “Hydrogen Sulfide: Evaluation of Current California Air Quality Standards with Respect to Protection of Children,” California Air Resources Board California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, 2000,
[11] “Mayor Santos Legacy Depends on Solid Njsea Settlement Agreement,” Environmental Health Disaster, accessed November 19, 2021, https://closekeegan.com/news-%26-opinion/f/mayor-santos-legacy-depends-on-solid-njsea-settlement-agreement.
[12]Reena Sibayan, “Kearny Residents Voice Concern over Keegan Landfill at NJSEA Board Meeting,” nj, March 21, 2019, https://www.nj.com/galleries/CRRTYC3AZ5BVLK7OEHJ3TW2PTA/.
[13] Kevin A Canessa, “As Court Date Looms, NJSEA Meets and Again Ignores Residents’ Concerns,” The Observer Online, July 24, 2019, https://www.theobserver.com/2019/07/as-court-date-looms-njsea-meets-and-again-ignores-residents-concerns/.
[14] Kevin A Canessa, “As Court Date Looms, NJSEA Meets and Again Ignores Residents’ Concerns,” The Observer Online, July 24, 2019, https://www.theobserver.com/2019/07/as-court-date-looms-njsea-meets-and-again-ignores-residents-concerns/.
[15] “Kearny Holds Protest Demanding the Closure of the Keegan Landfill,” Town of Kearny, June 17, 2019, https://www.kearnynj.org/news/statement-by-kearny-mayor-alberto-g-santos-on-the-njsea-keegan-landfill-protest/.
[16] “Kearny Holds Protest Demanding the Closure of the Keegan Landfill,” Town of Kearny, June 17, 2019, https://www.kearnynj.org/news/statement-by-kearny-mayor-alberto-g-santos-on-the-njsea-keegan-landfill-protest/.
[17]
[18] “Fenimore Landfill,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 11, 2018), https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/fenimorelandfill.html.
[19] William Westhoven, “Fenimore Landfill Timeline: 1950s to Present,” Daily Record (AsburyPark, April 17, 2014), https://www.dailyrecord.com/story/news/2014/04/16/fenimore-landfill-time-line-1950s-to-present/7791885/.
[20] “Fenimore Municipal Landfill,” Emilcott, August 20, 2016, https://emilcott.com/case-studies/fenimore-municipal-landfill-roxbury-township-nj/.
[21] Rachel Massey, “Environmental Justice: Income, Race, and Health”, Global Development and Environment Institute, Tufts University, 2004, https://grist.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/massey_environmental_justice.pdf
[22] EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) accessed December 14, 2021, https://ejscreen.epa.gov/mapper/. All Information gathered regarding the demographics of the town has been acquired from this website.
[23] EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) accessed December 14, 2021, https://ejscreen.epa.gov/mapper/. All Information gathered regarding the demographics of the town has been acquired from this website.
[24] Louis C. Hochman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com, “Something May Smell in Roxbury, but State Says It’s Not the Landfill,” nj, March 11, 2015, https://www.nj.com/morris/2015/03/something_may_smell_in_roxbury_but_state_says_its.html#:~:text=Several%20residents%20in%20a%20Facebook%20group%20about%20Fenimore,Lane%2C%20and%20smells%20are%20making%20her%20feel%20sick.
[25] “Stinky Kearny Landfill’s Odor Could Get Worse, NJ State Officials Say,” ABC7 New York (WABC-TV, July 30, 2019), https://abc7ny.com/keegan-landfill-kearny-meadowlands-smell-rotten-egg/5430369/#:~:text=The%20DEP%20said%20it%20received%20many%20complaints%20about,said%20they%27ve%20endured%20the%20smell%20for%2010%20years.
References
Austin, Regina and Schill, Michael H., “Black, Brown, Poor & Poisoned: Minority Grassroots Environmentalism and the Quest for Eco-Justice” (1991). Faculty Scholarship at Penn Law. 809. https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/faculty_scholarship/809
Canessa, Kevin A. “As Court Date Looms, NJSEA Meets and Again Ignores Residents’ Concerns.” The Observer Online, July 24, 2019. https://www.theobserver.com/2019/07/as-court-date-looms-njsea-meets-and-again-ignores-residents-concerns/.
Collins, J., & David Lewis. (2000). Hydrogen Sulfide: Evaluation of Current California Air Quality Standards with Respect to Protection of Children. California Air Resources Board California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.
“Fenimore Landfill.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 11, 2018. https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/hac/fenimorelandfill.html.
“Fenimore Municipal Landfill.” Emilcott, August 20, 2016. https://emilcott.com/case-studies/fenimore-municipal-landfill-roxbury-township-nj/.
“Kearny Holds Protest Demanding the Closure of the Keegan Landfill.” Town of Kearny, June 17, 2019. https://www.kearnynj.org/news/statement-by-kearny-mayor-alberto-g-santos-on-the-njsea-keegan-landfill-protest/.
“Kearny Responds to DEP Release Dated July 25, 2019, Regarding Hydrogen Sulfide Emissions from the Keegan Landfill.” Town of Kearny, July 30, 2019. https://www.kearnynj.org/news/kearny-responds-to-dep-release-dated-july-25-2019-regarding-hydrogen-sulfide-emissions-from-the-keegan-landfill/.
Massey, R. (2004). Environmental Justice: Income, Race, and Health. Global Development and Environment Institute, Tufts University.
“Mayor Santos Legacy Depends on Solid Njsea Settlement Agreement.” Environmental Health Disaster. Accessed November 19, 2021. https://closekeegan.com/news-%26-opinion/f/mayor-santos-legacy-depends-on-solid-njsea-settlement-agreement.
Michaelangelo Conte | The Jersey Journal. “Kearny Mayor Says Nasty Smell at Town Landfill Could Pose Health Risks.” nj, February 19, 2019. https://www.nj.com/hudson/2019/02/kearny-mayor-says-nasty-smell-at-town-landfill-could-pose-health-risks.html.
Paris, and Victoria Davidson. “KEARNY BOARD OF EDUCATION JOINS THE MAYOR AND TOWN COUNCIL AND THE CITIZENS OF THE TOWN OF KEARNY TO DEMAND THE CLOSURE OF THE KEEGAN LANDFILL.” Kearny, NJ, n.d.
Sibayan, Reena. “Kearny Residents Voice Concern over Keegan Landfill at NJSEA Board Meeting.” nj, March 21, 2019. https://www.nj.com/galleries/CRRTYC3AZ5BVLK7OEHJ3TW2PTA/.
“Stinky Kearny Landfill’s Odor Could Get Worse, NJ State Officials Say.” ABC7 New York. WABC-TV, July 30, 2019. https://abc7ny.com/keegan-landfill-kearny-meadowlands-smell-rotten-egg/5430369/#:~:text=The%20DEP%20said%20it%20received%20many%20complaints%20about,said%20they%27ve%20endured%20the%20smell%20for%2010%20years.
Westhoven, William. “Fenimore Landfill Timeline: 1950s to Present.” Daily Record. AsburyPark, April 17, 2014. https://www.dailyrecord.com/story/news/2014/04/16/fenimore-landfill-time-line-1950s-to-present/7791885/.
Primary Sources:
NJDEP approves cover for entire Keegan Landfill
Author: Kevin Canessa
Year published: 2021
Location: The Observer
https://www.theobserver.com/2021/05/njdep-approves-cover-for-entire-keegan-landfill/
This source will help me determine a timeline of Keegan landfill, from when it first opened to when it closed. It will also help me map out the different events leading up to the closing.
Kearny Responds To DEP Release Dated July 25, 2019 Regarding Hydrogen Sulfide Emissions From The Keegan Landfill
Year published: 2019
Location: Kearny, New Jersey’s official website
This source will give me the information about the illegal dumping of gypsum wallboard materials at Keegan landfill. It also briefly mentions a neighboring town that went through a similar environmental problem, which I can use to compare to Kearny’s situation.
Census report for Roxbury Township
Year published: 2019
Location: United States Census Bureau
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/dashboard/roxburytownshipmorriscountynewjersey/PST045219
This source will help support my argument that Roxbury Township got their landfill capped and closed much sooner than Kearny, due to the town of Roxbury having a larger average annual income when compared to Kearny, NJ. They are also a majority white town, while kearny is mostly native speaking.
EJSCREEN ACS Summary Report
Location : United States Environmental Protection Agency
This source will help me establish the argument that Kearny, New Jersey had to fight extra hard for their environmental justice, due to their economic standing. 56% of residents make less than 75,000 annually.
Kearny Holds Protest Demanding the Closure of the Keegan Landfill
Location: Kearny, New Jersey’s official website
Year Published: 2019
This source goes into the distress of the Kearny residence. This paper not only goes into detail about the protests held by the residents, but also, this paper goes into the details of the misuse of the landfill. This will be helpful in establishing the details of the grassroots movement , and give some background information about the landfill itself.
This statement given from the website of Kearny New Jersey, gives a brief overview of the history of illegal dumping of gypsum board at Keegan landfill. It also goes into detail on the protest that took place, in order to spread awareness of their situation, and ultimately, hopefully get the attention of the governor of New Jersey. They were noted leading chants, calling on Phil Murphy to close the landfill. The residents of kearny won’t stop at anything to receive environmental justice in their town.
In this reading, we are given a statement from Mayor Alberto Santos, stating that he wants those involved with the illegal dumping of gypsum board to be held accountable. This statement shows how serious the town was in achieving the closing of this landfill. The fact that the mayor is protesting against the agencies of the state he is currently a politician in, shows the mayor’s determination in achieving environmental justice in his town. Another piece of key evidence that supports my argument, is the town’s actions involving obtaining air monitoring stations. This shows just how serious the town was about investigating the environmental safety of their town. Not only did they acquire these air monitoring stations, but they recorded instances, where the hydrogen sulfide emissions from the landfill exceeded the department of health’s standards. The town made sure to have evidence to back up their arguments, which proves they had worked extremely hard to successfully shut down this landfill. Finally, the number of people at the protest mentioned in this article was noted to be over 300. The amount of people who felt the need to march in this protest for their environmental rights, shows the dedication this town had in shutting down this landfill. Additionally, the protest was held on a Saturday, meaning that people spent their days off from work fighting for what they believed was right.
Secondary Sources:
- Massey, R. (2004). Environmental Justice: Income, Race, and Health. Global Development And Environment Institute, Tufts University.
- This source explores the relation between health problems and lower-class, minority neighborhoods.
- In my research project I will be exploring the economic class of Kearny, New Jersey, and answering the question; did class play a role in the placement of this landfill? In the reading “Environmental Justice: Income, Race, and Health”, the author creates a parallel between race and class, and certain health ailments. The author’s research shows an increase in cases of disease and other health problems in poor, minority neighborhoods, and linked this fact to the disproportionate amount of hazardous sites in these neighborhoods. This author’s research will be critical in showing a pattern of hazardous sites being placed in low class, minority neighborhoods.
- Collins, J., & David Lewis. (2000). Hydrogen Sulfide: Evaluation of Current California Air Quality Standards With Respect To Protection of Children. California Air Resources Board California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment .
- This source discusses the side effects of exposure to hydrogen sulfide.
- The town of Kearny, New Jersey was subject to high hydrogen sulfide emissions that exceeded NJDEP’s limits. In my research, I will dive into the effects that hydrogen sulfide has on adults and kids alike. In “Hydrogen Sulfide: Evaluation of Current California Air Quality Standards With Respect To Protection of Children”, the authors extensively talk about how hydrogen sulfide is a nuisance to the public. Their research shows the relation between hydrogen sulfide and non-fatal illness amongst children and adults, ranging from different levels of exposure. I will use this research article to demonstrate the side effects of being exposed to hydrogen sulfide.
- Austin, Regina and Schill, Michael H., “Black, Brown, Poor & Poisoned: Minority Grassroots Environmentalism and the Quest for Eco-Justice” (1991). Faculty Scholarship at Penn Law. 809. https://scholarship.law.upenn.edu/faculty_scholarship/809
- This source looks into grassroot movements amongst lower-class minorities.
- In the reading “Black,, Brown, Poor & Poisoned: Minority Grassroots Environmentalism and the Quest for Eco-Justice, the authors discusses grassroot movements amongst minority groups, and specifically discusses the environmental health issues that grassroot movements tackle. The authors also explores the common misconception of what counts as an environmental issue amongst the minority population. In Kearny, New Jersey, a grassroot movement sparked in the wake of an environmental health issue. This source will be able to give me some parallels to the grassroot movement I will be researching in my project.
Image Analysis:
Kearny holds protest demanding the closure of the Keegan Landfill. Town of Kearny. (2019, June 17). Retrieved November 1, 2021, from https://www.kearnynj.org/news/statement-by-kearny-mayor-alberto-g-santos-on-the-njsea-keegan-landfill-protest/.
The Keegan Landfill has been transformed into a construction debris dumping ground for the past decade in Kearny, New Jersey. Although this was to exclude materials that can be hazardous, such as gypsum board and asbestos, on numerous occasions kearny residents have caught illegal dumping of these materials on video (kearnynj.org). The decomposition of gypsum board, otherside known as drywall, emits hydrogen sulfide, a rotten egg smelling gas that causes acute health problems, such as headaches, asthma, etcetera. This being said, there hasn’t been a lot of research done on the health effects on infants and children (Collins & Lewis). In the photograph above, you see a man holding up what appears to be a piece of drywall, toward the entrance of the Keegan Landfill. Around him, you see children looking. The man seen holding the drywall up is the mayor of Kearny, who has been a strong advocate for closing the landfill. On the ground, you see more construction debris on the floor. This image supports my argument, that a grassroot movement was responsible for the closing of the landfill, fueled by the anger and disappointment of the Kearny residents.
This picture was taken by Barbara Goldberg, during a protest that was held to spread awareness about the Keegan Landfills hydrogen sulfide emissions. This picture was found on the Town of Kearny’s website. I believe the intended audience for this photo was the media and politicians. During the protest, they many times called on Governor of New Jersey Phil Murphy to fix this issue they’re having.
In this picture, you see the disappointment in the mayor’s eyes, as he picks up a piece of drywall that is supposed to be excluded from the landfill. The landfill is not supposed to receive drywall, due to the hydrogen sulfide emissions they release when it rains. You could almost feel the irony the mayor must have felt, when he picks up a piece of construction debris and shows the protesters. This most likely fueled the protesters anger, for they knew that that type of debris was banned from the landfill.
Not only do you see construction debris on the ground, but you also see a discarded gas mask. This makes you wonder whether workers of the landfill were required to wear the masks as a precautionary measure, yet, the people of kearny are forced to coexist with this landfill’s emissions without any protection. The simple fact that there is a pile of construction debris out in the open road, shows the seriousness of the issue, and you get a better sense of understanding why the people of kearny ultimately formed this grassroots protest.
Next, your eyes pay attention to the children watching as the mayor holds up a piece of gypsum board. The fact that there are children involved in the protest, signifies the broad age range this landfill has affected. Their presence shows that the landfill has negatively affected them as well. You see the children looking at the mayor holding the piece of drywall. The children seem disappointed in what they are seeing. Children at a very young age are taught that littering is to be frowned upon, so to see this garbage in the street, seems to shock these kids. Knowledge on the health effects of hydrogen sulfide emissions to children and infants is minimal, but we do know from past studies, that “headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, abdominal pain, myalgia, and fainting” are common side effects amongst children exposed to hydrogen sulfide emissions over a period of time (Collins & Lewis). Knowing this, the children watching the debris that could possibly cause them acute health effects is powerful to witness.
This powerful image depicts the struggle that Kearny residents had to go through in order to finally reach their goal of closing the toxic landfill. We see in the photo, both children and adults participating in this protest. Not only does this show the dedication of this town, but it also shows how this landfill has negatively affected a broad age range. You see the disappointment and anger of the mayor, the leader of this protest, while he holds a piece of the material that has been causing the dangerous hydrogen sulfide emissions. It’s this disappointment and anger that fueled many of the town’s residents to fight to get this landfill closed.
Collins, J., & David Lewis. (2000). Hydrogen Sulfide: Evaluation of Current California Air Quality Standards With Respect To Protection of Children. California Air Resources Board California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.