TOXIC HELLHOLE

If you live or work in Greater Hazleton -- or in or near the anthracite coal region of Eastern Pennsylvania -- this is the most frightening Web page you will ever read.

It documents that you and your loved ones may well be dying a slow and agonizing death because millions upon millions of tons of hazardous waste and toxic poisons are buried here. It's almost a sure bet that many of you have lost loved ones -- family members and/or close friends -- and know of friends and neighbors who are dying.

You see, this entire area is a TOXIC HELLHOLE with contaminated water and polluted air, and the dire consequences are only now being realized.

But nobody really should be surprised. After all, you were forewarned 20-30 years ago of what eventually would result and, indeed, it has. Sadly, it is far greater than anyone ever visualized.

 

Sadly, the situation only keeps getting a whole lot worse. Unfortunately,. there is no stopping this epidemic of agonizing death.

It's no wonder, then, why the Greater Hazleton area deserves the title of Cancer Capital U.S.A. This DEATH TRAP eventually will affect almost every family living in Greater Hazleton and, in time, its poisons could kill people a hundred miles away.

By far the worst situation right now affects the good folks living downhill from the former McAdoo Associates site where countless gallons of the most hazardous chemicals were poured into the depths of an anthracite mine for years.

They include Still Creek, Quakake, Hometown and Tamaqua. The good folks living on Ben Titus Road are really feeling the brunt of the health crisis because there currently are 65 cases of cancer among people living in just 72 homes along a 1/4 mile stretch.

It should be noted that poisons from the McAdoo Associates site were found as far southeast as the Blue Mountain in the mid-1990s, heading toward the Lehigh Valley, the Philadelphia area and even South Jersey. We only wonder if they have yet arrived.

These chemicals were SO dangerous that payments for dumping at McAdoo Associates were rumored to be $40,000 and sometimes even as high as $80,000 for one trucker-tankful. The fee was readily paid because it was being dumped illegally in the middle of the night, and the dumping continued for about a decade.

But McAdoo Associates had lots of company in its total disregard for the health, welfare and safety of the people. Hazardous waste and toxic materials galore were dumped at the old Hazleton City Landfill and at other locations in Luzerne, Schuylkill and Carbon counties for many, many, many years.

Cancer, including some rare cases, and all sorts of deadly diseases have overtaken this entire area because of countless MILLIONS of tons of hazardous waste that were dumped into abandoned anthracite mines at or on coal land in Luzerne, Schuylkill and Carbon counties.

According to documented health statistics, we're the Cancer Capital of the United States, yet the federal and state agencies who are supposed to protect us have done absolutely nothing but engage in a pack of bald-faced lies. They keep denying that you and your loved ones are in great peril.

This Web site will take the bull by the horns and identify those responsible and/or those who have totally ignored the major crisis we ALL face. They include corrupt politicians and government officials who have long denied what is staring them in the face.

For starters, there is Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta and his majority on city council who have allowed river dredge sludge -- extremely toxic -- to be brought here, to make things even worse. The river dredge contains hundreds of poisons from plants along the Delaware River, especially New Jersey.

And, just imagine, His Honor's long-range plan is to construct homes above all the poisons.

Others who have remained silent abou the Death Trap are state Reps.Todd Eachus, David Argall and Keith McCall, state Sens. Raphael Musto and James Rhoades, Gov. Ed Rendell and U.S. Sen. Paul Kanjorski, to mention just a few (and, of course, their predecessors).

Then, too, others definitely have played a role in transforming Greater Hazleton into the hazardous waste dump it has become.

Primarily responsible is CAN DO Inc., whose founder Dr. Edgar Dessen allowed that major toxic polluting industries to locate here. He was primarily responsible for bringing in the beryllium plant, then turning his head when it became common knowledge that its workers were getting cancer and other deadly diseases.

But even worse, Dessen defied every precept of the medical profession when he personally administered X-rays to the workers once the dying began. The State of Pennsylvania later documented that the wrong-size X-rays were taken that COULD NOT DETECT the serious condition of the workers' beryllium disease.

But all CAN DO officials who have followed, including current President Kevin O'Donnell, are responsible for having allowed the toxic hellhole to get even deeper by permitting dirty industries to locate here.

For more than a half-century, Dr. Dessen and his Tin Soldiers -- including the puppets who run the Greater Hazleton Chamber of Commerce -- were more interested in having their picture appear in the newspaper rather than being concerned about the health, safety and welfare of the people.

This hazardous polluting could have been -- and should have been -- stopped in its tracks decades ago. But there was absolutely no concern for the well-being of the people.

The previous owners of the Standard-Speaker as well as the new owners -- Times-Shamrock -- certainly have done a great job ignoring this monumental issue in their newspaper. They loudly proclaim that all is well, meanwhile ignoring the catastrophy all around them.

Also particpants in this diabolical cover-up are the Hazleton and Wilkes-Barre TV stations and primarily local TV talk show hosts like Donald Pachence, L.. A. Tarone, Sammy Lesante; the radio stations; officials of Hazleton General Hospital; almost every doctor in Greater Hazleton; clergy of all faiths; and even so-called leaders of our Hispanic community who have kept mum about the horror our newest residents are facing.

Unfortunately, it's much too late to turn back the clock and prevent what has happened. It'll do no good if those responsible for Cancer Capital, which we've become, and those responsible for the cover-up were tarred and feathered and run out of town as they should've been years and years ago.

But their evil mission MUST be documented for everyone to know so they will understand WHY they are dying -- or why their loved ones have died such an agonizing death.

Most important, this Web site will reveal more about the corrupters and explain how they can be stopped from poisoning us even more.

And you can rest assure that this continuing, non-ending horror story will be documented here. You would be wise checking back every few days for the latest updates, and please inform everyone you know.

Other Alarming Statistics

In 2001, Luzerne County had the highest death rate due to diabetes than anywhere else in Pennsylvania.

That same year there were more than 14,000 cases of Alzheimer's and other dementia in Luzerne County.

Some 1,535 youngsters were diagnosed with Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in Luzerne County alone.

ADHD is a problem with inattentiveness, over-activity, impulsivity or a combination. They are out of the normal range for the child's age and development. It affects school performance and interpersonal relationships and parents are often exhausted and frustrated.

In Luzerne County in 2001, 2,774 youngsters were diagnosed with asthma which is a chronic, inflammatory lung disease characterized by recurrent breathing problems. It is a controllable but not curable disease that kills 180,000 persons worldwide every year.

If you doubt the authenticity of these statistics -- now undoubtedly a great deal worse than six years ago -- phone the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 1-877-724-3258.

Just tell 'em that CancerCapital.com sent you.

The Killing Fields

The City of Hazleton and its surrounding communities are collectively known as Greater Hazleton.

Greater Hazleton encompasses an area located within three counties: southern Luzerne County, northern Schuylkill County and northern Carbon County. The population of Greater Hazleton was 80,351 during the 2000 census.

Greater Hazleton includes the City of Hazleton and the boroughs of Beaver Meadows, Conyngham, Drifton, Freeland, Jeddo, McAdoo, Weatherly, West Hazleton, White Haven Shenandoah, Mahanoy City, Tamaqua, Gilberton, Coaldale, Summit Hill and Frackville.

It also includes the townships of Black Creek, Butler, Foster, Hazle, Sugarloaf, Mahanoy, West Mahanoy, Ryan, Rush, Union, East Union and Butler (Northern Schuylkill) County).

In addition, Greater Hazleton includes the towns, villages and/or CDPs of Audenried, Barnesville, Coxes Villages, Drums, Delano Ebervale, Eckley, Fern Glen, Fountain Springs, Gilberton, Haddock, Harleigh, Harwood Mines, Highland, Hollywood, Hometown, Hudsondale, Japan, Japan Jeddo, Jeansville, Junedale, Keylares, Kis-Lyn, Lake Hauto, Lost Creek, Lattimer Mines, Mahanoy Plane, Milnesville, New Boston, Morea, Nuremberg, Oneida, Pardeesville, Park Crest, Quakake, Sandy Run, Stockton, Sybertsville, Ringtown, Sheppton, Tomhicken, Upper Lehigh, Weston, Shenandoah Heights, Zion Grove, Still Creek and Eagle Rock Resort, among others.