Chamizal Neighborhood Toxic Tour
A local El Paso advocacy group took residents from the south part of the city on the Chamzial Neighborhood Toxic Tour on Tuesday.
La Mujer Obrera’s Familias Unidas hosted the tour which began at Bealle Elementary school and made stops at several locations throughout south El Paso.
The Toxic Tour addresses the grave levels of pollution and contamination present in the community. Environmental experts went along on the tour to provide the community with information about the tour’s cause. Dr. Sara Grineski, Dr. Olvera, Dr. Raysoni & Michelle Del Rio, and Chamizal Community Members gave presentations throughout the tour..
The goal of the tour is to highlight points of concern throughout the Chamizal District. Some of the points included hazardous toxins that surround schools as well as environmental injustice and exploitation they believe the city is causing.
The Chamizal Neighborhood is a low-income community with over 50% of residents living below the poverty level. Research by the World Health Organization and environmental experts Dr. Hector A. Olvera and Dr. Sara Grineski prove that the contamination Chamizal residents face contributes to deadly cancers, affects pregnant women and children’s development.
The tour also made a stop at the Silver Recycling plant to show residents the history of the plant. Other stops included Zavala Elementary and Bowie High school.
