LOUISIANA CANCER ALLEY

What is cancer alley in Louisiana? Is there any truth to higher rates of cancer in cancer alley? What types of pollution exist in cancer alley? What types of cancer are people concerned with in cancer alley? What has the Louisiana government done about cancer alley? These are the questions that we will explore in this controversial subject, and hopefully we will be able to shed some light on it as well.

What is cancer alley in Louisiana? The lower stretch of the Mississippi River that runs through Louisiana is literally covered with chemical plants, plastic plants, fertilizer manufacturers, electrical power plants, and oil refineries. In particular, the areas along the river between Baton Rouge and New Orleans is called cancer alley in Louisiana. This section gets its name because many believe that the toxins that are being released by all of the plants has led to an extremely high rate of cancer in the people that live around them. High incidences of rare childhood cancers are often given in support of the existence of it. The phrase "cancer alley" was coined by some activists (Darryl Malek-Wiley and Richard Miller) in the 1980's. According to many environmental activists, Louisiana has neglected the poor that live near the three hundred plus petrochemical plants, in order to give in to the needs of big energy.

Is there any truth to the claims that there is a higher rate of cancer in cancer alley? It depends upon whom you talk to actually. Several scientific studies have been conducted which claim that the rate of cancer in the region is actually lower than the national average. According to the Cato Institute, cancer alley is an environmental myth. Many scientists have also declared that if there are any higher rates of illnesses within cancer alley, they are likely due to the high rates of people that smoke tobacco. Local residents and environmental activists have claimed that the few scientific studies that have been conducted in the region have been faulty due to sloppy record keeping by the state. They also point to the existence of clusters of very rare diseases that have been found in cancer alley. For example, in one small town with no more than 20,000 residents, three cases of rhabdomyosarcoma cancer was reported. This rare disease is normally found in one in one million children, yet it occurred in three out of just 20,000 in this town in cancer alley. Some of the other illnesses associated with the region include stillbirths, asthma, miscarriages, neurological diseases, and of course cancer.

What types of pollution are there in cancer alley? Nobody can deny that the hundreds of petrochemical plants in cancer alley are emitting pollution into the atmosphere, but what many may not know is that these toxins have also been detected in the ground and groundwater. For instance, when Hurricane Katrina slammed the region in 2005, five Superfund sites were flooded. Additionally, gasoline and other chemicals such as benzene and oil by-products leaked and spread throughout cancer alley. The result of all of this, aside from any health problems, was a rash of lawsuits and class action lawsuits for toxic torts, personal injuries, and property damages that will likely linger in the courts for many years to come.

What types of cancers are people concerned with in the area of Louisiana known as cancer alley? As we have already discussed, many are alarmed at the rates of rhabdomyosarcoma which is a horrible cancer which rarely inflicts small children in normal situations. Other types of cancer that these residents are concerned about are: lung cancer, mesothelioma (from asbestos exposure), colon cancer, prostate cancer, melanoma, and breast cancer.

What has the state of Louisiana done about cancer alley? For starters, the state has conducted several studies to determine if there is a higher incidence of cancer in the region. The state environmental department has also worked with the EPA to control the amount of pollution that these plants release into the environment. Other than this, the state has heavily promoted cancer alley as a region for international petrochemical manufacturers to locate in. They have offered tax incentives, improved infrastructure, and anything else that the companies want to get their business. In response, many citizens have begun revolting. For example, the town of Convent recently rallied to block an international PVC manufacturer from locating in their town.

In the end, is there really anything to this cancer alley? I really don't know. The area is covered with plants that spit out some pretty nasty pollution, but if this actually leads to more deaths and illnesses in the area, I have no idea. I do trust the studies that indicate that there is no association, but I also know that money talks, and the folks with money in this subject are the plants that are creating the pollution.