Manganese in our backyard- learn more about what you can do! Hosted by Chicago South East Side Coalition To Ban Petcoke

A second site of neurotoxic manganese has been found in the 10th ward- this time at Watco (2926 East 126th Street, Chicago, Illinois 60633). The site is less than one mile from 2 early childhood education facilities, Grissom Elementary School, and 2 little league fields- not to mention numerous homes and yards.

Manganese is a neurotoxin- exposure is found to cause parkinson’s like symptoms and cognitive deficits in children.

A research study was done in East Liverpool, Ohio (another community where S.H. Bell was operating) and found that elevated levels of Manganese resulted in low IQ scores for children aged 7-9 years old.

You can find the East Liverpool study here:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161813X17301778?via%3Dihub

Why we are concerned:
S.H. Bell (10218 S Avenue O) handles Manganese and the EPA has found elevated levels in the surrounding area. The average level near S.H. Bell is actually higher than what was found in Ohio. Now there have been elevated levels found in the area near Watco. We are working with the University of Cincinnati to launch a health study in 2019.

Please join us at Lebanon Lutheran Church to learn more and to come together as a community to make sure our children can live in a safe neighborhood that does not damage their health!

You can read and share a tribune article about this here: https://trib.in/2FbplU6

If you can’t make the meeting. then like our page for updates and sign/ share this petition:
https://act.nrdc.org/letter/chicago-manganese-181203/