Jimmy Smith has raised him family in Collegeville. Cancer has claimed the lives of many in his loved ones including his daughter. To say he's bitter, is an understatement. He's convinced chemicals in the air and soil are to blame. hristmas has always been special cause it's all about Jesus, but i have 2 daughters that the industries have...didn't have to do what they did.alter Coke is one of the nearby coke producing industries in the area along with A-B-C Coke...Many steel producing companies have come and gone in this area over the years as well. The red flag went up about 2 years ago when unsafe levels of cancer causing chemicals like arsenic and benzo-a-pyrene were discovered at homes and schools. The clean up began under an E-P-A order to Walter Coke. Walter Coke says they are not responsible for the contaminants but are helping to be good neighbors. t's all good to me as long as we're getting help, I don't care where it's coming from. he evidence is what's lacking here. We know dangerous levels of toxins are in the soil and in the air.....based on previous studies by the E-P-A and Jefferson County Health Department. But how many families are affected by these toxins and to what degree, is a question left unanswered. also who's responsible.....is it one company, more than one, maybe even companies that are no longer there. those are questions our investigative team has been working on for more than a year. Now the Federal Government is apparently tired of playing the guessing game as well and will take over. Something neighborhood leaders welcome.They need testing of their yards, the soil, it's just a number of...the health issues. Health issues is one of the main issues...so I think with the Superfund coming some of these concerns will be addressed.
This is only the beginning....it won't be a quick fix. But it's a step residents have said for months now, they were hoping for.
