Tenants at a Connecticut mill-turned-apartment complex face severe lead poisoning, sparking a union-led rent strike.
Michael Sainato reports for The Guardian.
In short:
- After moving into the Lofts at the Cargill Falls Mill, tenants discovered toxic lead levels, leading to severe health crises, including in children.
- A tenants union was formed to demand action; despite initial lead abatement efforts, the building still poses health risks.
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has stepped in, investigating and demanding comprehensive lead remediation, as tenants and their children suffer ongoing health impacts.
Key quote:
"It's been one of the worst years of my life. The stress of feeling that I raised my child unknowingly in toxic conditions."
— Katy Slininger, resident and mother
Why this matters:
Historically used in paint, plumbing, and other building materials, lead poses a high risk when it deteriorates into dust or contaminates water supplies. Children are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can lead to developmental delays, neurological damage, and a host of other health issues. Adults are not immune; exposure can result in hypertension, renal impairment, and reproductive problems.
