Contamination In New Orleans

Should residents be concern with contamination caused by Katrina?

The flood waters from hurricane Katrina and Rita that inundated New Orleans carried a mixture of soil, sewage, and industrial contaminates. Once the water receded, it left behind a layer of sediment which in some cases up to 4-inches thick. The necessary technology to clean up the contamination in all affected areas is readily available to the government. Scientists tested the levels of contamination in the sediment which normally trigger soil remediation in residential areas. Arsenic, pesticides, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, lead, mercury, and other contaminates were found. The chemicals known as phthalates can have a big effect on men. It can interfere with the normal development with their reproductive system. I don't think residents should be concerned with contamination caused by Katrina.

Right now I think the contamination problem is pretty much under control. There haven't had no major problems with it. The areas that were mainly considered to a hazardous area are blocked of or now has been cleared for people to visit safely. For the contamination to become threat, a person will have to touch sediment with their bare hands, get it in their eyes or mouth, or breathing in the dust. Government agencies must clean up the contaminated sediment in every neighborhood as soon as possible so that people can safely move back into their homes. People entering their neighborhood before the appropriate cleanup has been completed should also take precautions.