‘It’s Incompetence’ MSNBC on Katrina clean up.

[Guest guest]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14497763/site/newsweek/

(I just posted the first part to the story. To read it all, use link above.

‘It’s Incompetence’

An environmental expert fears that Gulf Coast residents and volunteers exposed to deadly toxins could suffer health effects similar to those of 9/11 workers.

Carolyn Kaster / AP

A woman in Arabi, La., just outside New Orleans, works alone to clear wet and moldy items from her home on Feb. 21

View related photos

WEB EXCLUSIVE

By

Newsweek

Updated: 6:33 a.m. PT Aug 24, 2006

Aug. 24, 2006 - You’ve seen the awful pictures: rotting houses knocked off their foundations, walls mottled with mold, floors coated in grimy mud, piles of God-knows-what towering over empty streets. For Hurricane Katrina survivors and volunteers sent to help, the cleanup isn’t just unpleasant—it’s potentially sickening.

Like the 9/11 workers, many of those working in the Katrina rubble are being exposed to deadly toxins, says Hugh Kaufman, a senior policy analyst for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington. With more than 35 years of experience in the field, he particularly worries about workers and citizens being exposed to harmful contaminants like asbestos and mold.

A year ago, Kaufman cautioned residents about returning to the affected areas too quickly. Now he explains to NEWSWEEK’s how dangerous the situation remains. Excerpts:

Online Newshour

Kaufman: ‘The government has waived ... rules ... to save money’

NEWSWEEK: What’s the present environmental situation in the Gulf Coast regions hit hardest by Katrina?Hugh Kaufman: We’re dealing with the major issue of cleanup, and continuing to assess the magnitude of the problem. You basically still have a large amount of toxic material ... [and] studies have shown high levels of heavy metals in the sediments that have coated the areas. You’ve got a tremendous amount of solid waste—over 20 million tons—[in the form of] automobiles, trash, etc., that has to be dealt with. And you have a problem that a number of us are raising red flags about, which is [the lack of] protective equipment for people who are involved in cleanup.

CONTINUED

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[Guest guest]



Hello Group,

I'm glad that Mr. Kaufman went on the record. If more MD's would, maybe we could save some pain and suffering, and health care dollars. Our disaster preparedness and follow up are not consistant with our technical abilities. Very short sighted decisions.

Bradley Harr MS,CMC,CHMMSr. Environmental ScientistSummit Environmental, Inc.bdharr@...

-----Original Message-----From: iequality [mailto:iequality ]On Behalf Of snk1955@...Sent: Sunday, September 03, 2006 11:51 PMTo: sickbuildings Cc: AspergillusSupport@...; iequality Subject: ‘It’s Incompetence’ MSNBC on Katrina clean up.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/14497763/site/newsweek/

(I just posted the first part to the story. To read it all, use link above.

‘It’s Incompetence’

An environmental expert fears that Gulf Coast residents and volunteers exposed to deadly toxins could suffer health effects similar to those of 9/11 workers.

Carolyn Kaster / AP

A woman in Arabi, La., just outside New Orleans, works alone to clear wet and moldy items from her home on Feb. 21

View related photos

WEB EXCLUSIVE

By

Newsweek

Updated: 6:33 a.m. PT Aug 24, 2006

Aug. 24, 2006 - You’ve seen the awful pictures: rotting houses knocked off their foundations, walls mottled with mold, floors coated in grimy mud, piles of God-knows-what towering over empty streets. For Hurricane Katrina survivors and volunteers sent to help, the cleanup isn’t just unpleasant—it’s potentially sickening.

Like the 9/11 workers, many of those working in the Katrina rubble are being exposed to deadly toxins, says Hugh Kaufman, a senior policy analyst for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Washington. With more than 35 years of experience in the field, he particularly worries about workers and citizens being exposed to harmful contaminants like asbestos and mold.

A year ago, Kaufman cautioned residents about returning to the affected areas too quickly. Now he explains to NEWSWEEK’s how dangerous the situation remains. Excerpts:

Online Newshour

Kaufman: ‘The government has waived ... rules ... to save money’

NEWSWEEK: What’s the present environmental situation in the Gulf Coast regions hit hardest by Katrina?Hugh Kaufman: We’re dealing with the major issue of cleanup, and continuing to assess the magnitude of the problem. You basically still have a large amount of toxic material ... [and] studies have shown high levels of heavy metals in the sediments that have coated the areas. You’ve got a tremendous amount of solid waste—over 20 million tons—[in the form of] automobiles, trash, etc., that has to be dealt with. And you have a problem that a number of us are raising red flags about, which is [the lack of] protective equipment for people who are involved in cleanup.

CONTINUED

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Next >