Environmental advocates call on EPA to speed up cleaning process at toxic site in northwest Houston
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Environmental advocates and leaders are calling on the Environmental Protection Agency to properly clean up a northwest Houston toxic site where they say the public remains at risk for exposure.
The group called on the EPA to take action to deal with the Jones Road Ground Water Plume Superfund.
This comes after a five-year review report released by the EPA in late September concluded the remedy for the site is "not protective."
RELATED: New EPA report reveals Jones Road Superfund remedy 'not protective'
According to the EPA, superfund sites are locations where hazardous waste has been dumped or improperly disposed of, resulting in risks to human and environmental health.
The EPA says the process to clean up soil vapors and shallow groundwater at the site began in 2019.
The agency claims it set up several temporary solutions to protect public health while they evaluated long-term solutions.
Advocates claim the surrounding community remains at risk for exposure to the dry-cleaning chemicals and say the EPA is not planning to take action until 2024.
"Toxic waste from this site is threatening lives at this very moment," Rachel Jordan, assistant director of the Texas Health and Environment Alliance, said.
It's why they're pushing to ensure that the cleanup plan is safe and thorough and remains a top priority for the EPA.
The EPA's findings revealed that the contaminants at the Jones Road Superfund Site were introduced to the area by a dry cleaning business that operated from 1984 to 2002. The cleaners conducted improper disposal of dry-cleaning solvents, which then seeped into the soil and groundwater.
Concerned community members say moving forward, there should be stricter regulations.
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