On this day February 23 1983 the United States Environmental Protection Agency announced its plan to buy out and evacuate the entire community of Times Beach Missouri due to extreme dioxin contamination. This decision marked one of the most significant environmental disasters in American history leading to the permanent displacement of over 2000 residents.
The crisis in Times Beach began in the early 1970s when waste oil containing high levels of dioxin was sprayed on the town’s roads to control dust. The contamination went unnoticed for years until environmental tests in 1982 confirmed dangerously high toxin levels. Dioxin is one of the most toxic chemicals known to science linked to cancer birth defects and immune system damage. As a result the EPA declared the area unsafe for human habitation and launched a 33 million dollar federal buyout of the town.
The evacuation and cleanup of Times Beach took years and by 1997 the land was repurposed into Route 66 State Park. Despite this the town remains a cautionary tale about the dangers of improper toxic waste disposal.
80s insight: Before the contamination Times Beach was a small but thriving community originally established as a getaway for St. Louis residents looking for an affordable place to live near the Meramec River.
The crisis in Times Beach began in the early 1970s when waste oil containing high levels of dioxin was sprayed on the town’s roads to control dust. The contamination went unnoticed for years until environmental tests in 1982 confirmed dangerously high toxin levels. Dioxin is one of the most toxic chemicals known to science linked to cancer birth defects and immune system damage. As a result the EPA declared the area unsafe for human habitation and launched a 33 million dollar federal buyout of the town.
The evacuation and cleanup of Times Beach took years and by 1997 the land was repurposed into Route 66 State Park. Despite this the town remains a cautionary tale about the dangers of improper toxic waste disposal.
80s insight: Before the contamination Times Beach was a small but thriving community originally established as a getaway for St. Louis residents looking for an affordable place to live near the Meramec River.
