CEET: Target Communities

Community Outreach and Education:

Target Communities

We have selected four target communities that are located in Southeastern Pennsylvania and are faced with health issues arising from living in an aging urban environment.

West Philadelphia

West Philadelphia is a widely divergent community that extends West and South of "University Center" where the University of Pennsylvania is located. About 220,000 people (or about 14% of the City's population) live, shop, and in many cases work in West Philadelphia, approximately three-quarters of the population is African-American. The Philadelphia Planning Commission's Plan for West Philadelphia states, "some West Philadelphia neighborhoods suffer the same ills that affect other older urban areas. Over the last several decades, there has been a substantial loss of middle-class population, widespread poverty, property deterioration and abandonment, main streets that have declined and don't present the best face of the community, deteriorating infrastructure, and too many incidents of crime against people and property that have had devastating impacts in certain neighborhoods." "These trends, although not pervasive, are persistent and have affected the quality and the perception of life in the larger West Philadelphia community. The trends that contribute to these negative perceptions must be halted and reversed if West Philadelphia is to sustain itself as a viable urban community." Environmental problems in West Philadelphia include lead exposure from aged housing stock, asthma in children and exposures from abandoned former small industrial sites.

Eastwick

The Eastwick area of Southwest Philadelphia adjoins West Philadelphia. Environmental concerns include emissions from a petroleum refinery, traffic emissions associated with a major postal distribution Center and a freeway running through the neighborhood, and emissions from the neighboring Philadelphia Airport. In the last three years, two major "100 year floods" of Darby Creek, have inundated a substantial portion of the community, potentially mobilizing toxic substances from a National Priority List ("Superfund") site that is located just upstream in an adjacent county. There is also concern over the environmental health impacts of numerous small businesses including dry cleaning and auto-body shops.

City of Chester

Chester, 15 miles south of Philadelphia along the Delaware River, has approximately 42,000 people in a 4.8 square mile area. Chester has amongst the highest concentrations of industrial facilities in Pennsylvania; a number of waste-processing plants, a large infectious medical waste facility, and two oil refineries. All solid waste for Delaware County (population 554,000) is incinerated in Chester, and at least 85% of the raw sewage and associated sludge is treated in Chester. Residents perceive that Chester has more than its fair share of environmental insults, including noise, air pollution, and excessive truck traffic. They express concerns about the health effects of living and working amid toxic substances, and they complain about frequent illness. Chester has approximately 75% minority population, the highest unemployment in the county, a large proportion of pre-1950s housing, and a shortage of medical care providers. Chester has the highest infant mortality rate. It also is among the highest for age-adjusted mortality and cancer incidence rates for leukemia, all causes combined, and cancers of the prostate, lung, and trachea of any municipality in the state (Chester Risk Assessment, EPA Region III). Despite substantial environmental health challenges, there is a widespread perception that Chester is turning the corner. Programs have been initiated to address lead and waste hazards, new truck routes have been sited. A new city hall has state-of-the-art computer facilities available to all citizens.

Pottstown

Pottstown, population of 22,000, is situated approximately 25 miles northwest of Philadelphia. Residents describe living in a "toxic triangle" with a large landfill with substantial odorous off-gassing, an oil refinery (a superfund site) and a nuclear power plant, all located just outside the Borough boundaries. State of Pennsylvania data shows an extremely high prevalence of childhood asthma and elevated rates of certain cancers. Pottstown is undergoing accelerating revitalization. Among the community assets is the well-resourced Pottstown Community Health and Wellness Foundation with a mandate to improve health, and the Montgomery Community College West Campus a potential partner for COEC activities. The State of Pennsylvania has strongly encouraged the COEC to make Pottstown a target community. Don Read, Chair of the Environmental Advisory Board for the Borough of Pottstown is the representative on the COEC Advisory Committee.

Palmerton

Palmerton (population of approximately 5,500) is notable as the site of two separate primary zinc smelting operations from 1898-1980. SO2 and metal pollution from the sites denuded surrounding mountains. That area has some of the highest known soil lead levels with significant cadmium, arsenic, and zinc contamination. In 1980, the West Plant closed and the East Plant transitioned to a secondary metal refining and processing operation, The site was placed on the National Priorities ("superfund") List in 1982, and has been the subject of health assessments by ATSDR (1993) and more recently the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Continuing environmental health issues at Palmerton include permit issues for operation of the sites and recent observations of elevated lead levels in children. PENN has a long history of involvement in Palmerton. Several MS students working with Dr. Robert Giegengack wrote graduate theses around contamination by lead and other metals. More recently, Dr Sulagna De (a resident in the Occupational and Environmental Medicine at PENN working with Dr Edward Emmett) has reviewed various environmental health assessments and made recommendations for further action. Louise Calvin, President of Palmerton Citizens for a Clean Environment, is a member of the COEC Advisory Committee.

Environmental Health Resource Guide
A Resource Guide for Community Leaders
Produced for the communities of Chester, Eastwick, Palmerton, Pottstown, and West Philadelphia by the CEET Community Outreach and Education Program

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