Ruling Out Danger
Cal State East Bay research points toward human-made lead poisoning in Fruitvale and helps city leaders advocate for clean up
Like many people, Cal State East Bay student David Tanouye had been following the lead poisoning crisis in Flint, Michigan, on national news for weeks.
In an effort to save money, the city of Flint switched its water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River and almost immediately began receiving complaints about the taste, smell and color of the water. In less than a year, tests run by the Environmental Protection Agency and Virginia Tech revealed toxic levels of lead, which is poisonous to all people, but reaps particularly devastating consequences on the developing brains of children.
Flint was declared a state of emergency by former President Barack Obama and communities across the country held up the city as a worst-case scenario — a place synonymous with blight, contamination and disaster. A benchmark by which to feel better about your own neighborhood.