Former newsday reporter fagin journalismnew york univ coauthor. Public health assessment cibageigy corporation cerclis. Twitter facebook email a book that deftly combines investigative reporting and historical research to probe a new jersey seashore towns cluster of childhood cancers linked to water and air pollution. This study guide consists of approximately 49 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of toms river. Waste products from the plant were either stored in 47,000 drums or were treated and pumped through a pipeline to the atlantic ocean. Toms river made it onto the list in 1983 thanks to the ciba geigy factory, a 1,400 acre site where the chemical company manufactured primarily dyes, but also resins and epoxy. Surface waters from all tributaries in the northern drainage basin of the toms river contribute to the hydraulic flow and water quality at the ciba geigy site. Book explores toms rivers toxic history with industrial. Toms river chemical was now cibageigy chemical corporation. Mar 19, 20 the question at the heart of the story is straightforward enough. Toms river cibageigy superfund site will take decades to clean. Apr 12, 2018 toms river it will take at least 20 to 30 more years to clean up a plume of groundwater contamination emanating from the former ciba geigy corp. The ciba geigy corporation formerly toms river chemical company, and now renamed ciba specialty chemicals, a division of novartis corporation owned and operated a chemical manufacturing plant the toms river plant on the property beginning in 1952.
How the chemical industry manipulates science, bends the law and endangers your health, 1999 reveals the complex motives that blinded residents of toms river to the consequences of the practices of the towns major employer, cibageigy, a chemical company. Mar 03, 2020 although circumstances denied him the chance to go to college, he still lived the american dream, working first as a farm hand in michigan and then as a lab technician at ciba geigy now known as novartis in toms river, nj. The families received an undisclosed financial package in exchange for allowing the companies to say that they did nothing wrong. Toms river cancer cluster still a mystery despite 20 years of. Toms river was a pretty little place near the jersey shore when ciba geigy relocated their disposing of it safely can get expensive and eat into profits, so historically companies just dumped it in a river and it was on its way to the ocean or at least it wasnt their problem anymore. The city planner book club focuses on the environment part. Jul 22, 2014 toms river, once a quintessential jersey shore town, is the focus of dan fagins pulitzer prizewinning book toms rivers. Fagins book may not endear him to toms river s real estate agents, but its exhaustive reporting and honest look at the cause, obstacles, and unraveling of a cancerous trail should be required environmental reading. Sep 12, 20 dumping by ciba geigy and union carbide. It is about the dumping of industrial pollution by chemical companies including ciba geigy, in toms river, new jersey, beginning in 1952 through the 1980s, and the epidemiological investigations of a cancer cluster that subsequently emerged there. Cibageigy, the dow chemical company which had acquired union carbide, and united water toms river previously toms river water company were not going to budge a. A story of science and salvation, by dan fagin bantam books share. Toms river by dan fagin new jersey, superfund, and cancer.
The ciba geigy chemical corporation facility is located in toms river, nj. From conversations with the carters and other toms river families, she had heard a little bit about the ciba geigy chemical plant and its history of pollution. Cibageigy, initially called toms river chemical co. Toms river it will take at least 20 to 30 more years to clean up a plume of groundwater contamination emanating from the former cibageigy corp. Apr 02, 2020 ciba geigy, initially called toms river chemical co. Mar 26, 20 fagin will discuss the recently released book, and its highly anticipated account of ciba geigy s decadeslong impact on toms river, when he appears at the toms river branch of the ocean county. Parents of stricken children are convinced that that clandestine disposal, along with dumping by chemical giant cibageigy corp. An aerial view of the cibageigy superfund site in toms river in 2003. He takes on complex issues to address the history of industrial processes and the disposal of their. Geigy also outgrew its american headquarters in manhattan. When toms river welcomed the swiss chemical company ciba geigy now known as novartis in 1952, they did not know that the company had left towns in both switzerland and ohio due to complaints about air and water pollution. This site has been targeted for multiple investigations by, both, the epa and njdep. Jul 18, 2015 the toms river chemical corporation must have discharged them into the river, and the three shallow riverside wells operated by the toms river water company on holly street, more than two miles downstream, must have then sucked in the contaminated water, pulling it through the sandy riverbank and into the wells and eventually pumping it to the. Then, as people realized what the dye companys pollution was doing, it became a scourge on the area.
Richard spent two years in the army from 1954 to 1956 where he proudly served his country and became a naturalized citizen. The book doesnt say, but bill mcveigh, the toms river high school east history teacher who lived on cardinal drive which backed up to cibagiegys property also died prematurely from cancer a few years ago, at far too young an age. Although circumstances denied him the chance to go to college, he still lived the american dream, working first as a farm hand in michigan and then as a lab technician at cibageigy now known as novartis in toms river, nj. How the chemical industry manipulates science, bends the law and endangers your health, 1999 reveals the complex motives that blinded residents of toms river to the consequences of the practices of the towns major employer, ciba geigy, a chemical company.
The new york times the true story of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river won the 2014 pulitzer prize and has been hailed by the new york times as a new classic of science reporting. The toms river chemical corporation must have discharged them into the river, and the three shallow riverside wells operated by the toms river water company on holly street, more than two miles downstream, must have then sucked in the contaminated water, pulling it through the sandy riverbank and into the wells and eventually pumping it to the. The company dumped waste products from the manufacturing process contaminated with toxic chemicals on the factory property, into the nearby river, and into the atlantic. Cibageigy to close wastewater pipeline in 1991 upi archives.
The positives of the giant company were felt almost immediately by nearly everyone in the region with a great boon in economic prosperity. So she was a bit unnerved when, while driving to the funeral, she looked to her left at a stoplight on route 37 and saw the fence and security gate of the sprawling factory complex. A story of science and salvation is a 20 nonfiction book by the american author dan fagin. The toms river chemical company was formed and a worldscale plant for vat and azo dyes was constructed at a 1,250 acre site in toms river, new jersey, which came on stream in 1952. Chemical troubles in toms river may 6, 20 issue vol. The cibageigy corporation formerly toms river chemical company, and now renamed ciba specialty chemicals, a division of novartis corporation owned and operated a chemical manufacturing plant the toms river plant on the property beginning in 1952. As a professor of environmental history i would consider this a book that is essential reading. Surface waters from all tributaries in the northern drainage basin of the toms river contribute to the hydraulic flow and water quality at the cibageigy site. Its now been dragged into the 2019 mayoral election. The other was found about a decade later in toms river, n. In toms river, we go from the dawn of the synthetic dye industry in europe in the 1850s, to the cincinnati chemical works of the 1920s, to the chemical plant coming to. Toms river book wikimili, the best wikipedia reader. But the towns people like linda gillick and her son michael, who was born in 1979 with neuroblastoma fought back.
Environmental reporter discusses book about toms river. Culminating in 2001 with one of the largest legal settlements in history, the work of the law firm is featured in he best selling book toms river. A booklet ciba produced in 1953 included photos of the wastehandling system and assured. Ciba development becomes election issue jersey shore online. The cibageigy chemical corporation facility is located in toms river, nj. Mar 29, 2019 parents of stricken children are convinced that that clandestine disposal, along with dumping by chemical giant ciba geigy corp. Winner of the pulitzer prize winner of the new york public librarys helen bernstein book award a new classic of science reporting.
Mar 19, 20 the other was found about a decade later in toms river, n. Toms river the cibageigy property has been many things in toms river. Ciba had a 52 percent share of the joint venture, with the remaining share split between geigy and sandoz. May 24, 20 ciba geigy, the dow chemical company which had acquired union carbide, and united water toms river previously toms river water company were not going to budge a legal inch unless there was.
The companys arrival is greeted enthusiastically by county and state officials, and toms river chemical becomes the countys largest employer. The book ends with the conclusion of a legal settlement between the ocean of love families and cibageigy, toms river water, and union carbide. Mar 24, 20 after the 1984 pipeline break, toms river s claim to fame was hosting not one, but two superfund sites ciba geigy and the reich farm. Toms river, once a quintessential jersey shore town, is the focus of dan fagins pulitzer prizewinning book toms rivers.
Buy featured book title toms river subtitle a story of science and salvation author. After the 1984 pipeline break, toms rivers claim to fame was hosting not one, but two superfund sites cibageigy and the reich farm. Child cancer cluster in toms river, nj williams cuker. From 19521990, the ciba geigy corporation since acquired by basf operated a dye manufacturing plant in toms river. It all begins in the town of toms river, new jersey, when the swissowned corporation ciba geigy begins polluting the local water supply in the 1950s and 1960s with. As the story opens in the early 1950s, toms river is a sleepy little town on the eastern fringe of the pine barrens near the coast of central new jersey. Average stream discharge of the toms river for the past 57 years at the cibageigy site is 215 cubic feet per second cfs. Average stream discharge of the toms river for the past 57 years at the ciba geigy site is 215 cubic feet per second cfs. Aug, 2014 fagin describes the book as a mystery story and says it chronicles the issues that occurred in toms river scientifically. The riveting true story of sixty years in the life of a small town ravaged by industrial pollution, toms river melds hardhitting investigative reporting, a fascinating scientific detective story, and an unforgettable cast of characters into a sweeping narrative. Fagin describes the book as a mystery story and says it chronicles the issues that occurred in toms river scientifically.
Our hotels central location puts you a short drive from seaside heights boardwalk and the scenic beaches of island beach state park. The narrative backbone of this book is the 60year history of the relationship between the citizens of toms river and two chemical companies, ciba and union carbide. Aug 14, 2018 an aerial view of the ciba geigy superfund site in toms river in 2003. Toms river was a pretty little place near the jersey shore when cibageigy relocated their disposing of it safely can get expensive and eat into profits, so historically companies just dumped it in a river and it was on its way to the ocean or at least it wasnt their problem anymore. Fagins book may not endear him to toms rivers real estate agents, but its exhaustive reporting and honest look at the cause, obstacles, and unraveling of a cancerous trail should be required environmental reading. From conversations with the carters and other toms river families, she had heard a little bit about the cibageigy chemical plant and its history of pollution. An aerial view of the ciba geigy superfund site in toms river in 2003. Since the 1990s, toms river families affected by cancer linked to industrial pollution have been pursuing a classaction lawsuit against the ciba geigy corporation, union carbide corporation, and the united water toms river. The book ends with the conclusion of a legal settlement between the ocean of love families and ciba geigy, toms river water, and union carbide.
But fagin, an associate professor of journalism and the director of the science, health and environmental reporting program at new york university, reveals an earlier, less conspicuous disaster in the region. The plant was producing five million gallons of wastewater by the 1970s. Toms river is essential reading for those who care about health, the environment, and the frustration and rights of those injured by industrial hubris. When ciba geigy, a swiss company, opened in toms river, it had solved the. Jun 26, 2015 culminating in 2001 with one of the largest legal settlements in history, the work of the law firm is featured in he best selling book toms river. In toms river, investigative journalist dan fagin tells a story that is at once a detailed, focused case study and also a sweeping history of epidemiology and environmental health. Toms river made it onto the list in 1983 thanks to the cibageigy factory, a 1,400 acre site where the chemical company manufactured primarily dyes, but also resins and epoxy. Fagin will discuss the recently released book, and its highly anticipated account of cibageigys decadeslong impact on toms river, when he appears. Toward the end of the 20th century, the residents of toms river, n. Cibageigy and the toms river cancer cluster settlement.