In Chapter 5 of "Protecting New Jersey's Environment" by Thomas Belton, the author discusses the use of chromium and how chromium affected New Jersey's environment in a large way. Chromium was not the only environmental crime that took place within New Jersey. During the 1970's, much illegal activity took place. Mobs came in and did business using toxic materials that would end up leading to chemical fires that would kill people do to the toxicity of the pollutants in the air.
As mentioned above, chromium was a major factor of this chapter. Thomas Belton states, "Chromium waste was everywhere" (88). This waste was very toxic and that was a well known fact. Despite its known toxicity, the waste known as "mud" was given away or sold for reuse in construction, building foundations, filling wetlands, and road grading. Thomas Belton even depicts an experience he had where his friend's calves were burnt red and his clothes and skin were stained yellow from the chromium waste. He even describes the waste as "greenish yellow". Chromium is very dangerous, to say the least. It can cause skin ulcers, amongst liver and kidney problems. It is cancerous and it was found to be the cause of death for a man who worked on a chromium site.
That is just a short list of the problems that chromium has caused over time. A lot of time and money was put into the remediation of homes and lands within Jersey City to clean up the area from the toxicity. And unfortunately, people did not want to own up for the toxic dumping that took place within New Jersey, or any other states it took place.
This chapter made me very upset. I think it is sad that greed means more to people than the planet we live on. I also have noticed a common theme that people do not want to be held accountable for their action on the environment. I also questioned why people thought having yellow-green smoke billowing into the air was okay? It's unfortunate that all of this has happened to our environment over the years.
This chapter also had me question something that was said in my environmental ethics course. Our professor had stated that the turmoil in our environment now is actually the product of decades before us and that we haven't even begun to see or feel the affects of our present carbon footprint. Is that true? If so, then would the chromium pumped into the air, still be there?