Contamination of Ohio River
- Date Range
- January 1, 1760 – September 24, 2021
- Title
- Contamination of Ohio River
- What occurred
- Since 2010, when 32 million pounds (according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) of toxic waste was discharged into the Ohio River, pollution has only increased. These chemicals have contaminated drinking water and have been absorbed by the fish being consumed. This mainly began in the 1750s during the industrial revolution which we mentioned in class. As the years progressed; acid mine drains, raw sewage waste, and toxins with nitrate compounds have been dumped and found in the Ohio River. More limits on pollutants are being bent and broken by industries along the river which are owned by big corporations like Shell. Now species of fish and mussels are gradually going extinct due to the poor river quality. Now major efforts are needed to save the river and its inhabitants rather than the poor past attempts and corruption going on within the industries.
- Location
- Monaca, PA 15061
- Image Citation
- https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/03/13/ohio-river-mercury-pollution/1985693/ - https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/10-sad-truths-as-to-why-we-will-never-be-able-to-clean-up-the-ohio-river.html - https://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/mississippi-river-is-second-most-polluted-u-s-waterway/article_bce8579e-7449-11e1-9b27-001a4bcf6878.html#:~:text=More%20than%2012.7%20million%20pounds,the%20advocacy%20group%20Environment%20Missouri.
- Student name(s)
- David Lennon