Clairton sits in the shadow of US Steel's massive Clairton Coke Works. There's a growing concern among residents that the plant's emissions are causing asthma and cancer. But can a town prove that pollution is causing its health problems?
A research team at Carnegie Mellon is one year into a three-year project to help people in the Pittsburgh region learn more about pollutants they’re exposed to through the air. It’s funded through the EPA’s Air Pollution Monitoring for Communities program, and it was one of only six projects funded throughout the country.
The Clairton Coke plant - the largest in the country - has become something of a lightening rod in this community. And the town is full of people who are new to understanding what's going on and becoming active for the first time. Meet three of them.
Old pipes aren't the only way lead can get into your drinking water. The faucets and fittings and solder on the pipes inside your house can also contain lead. But if you want to replace older plumbing, it’s not always easy to find the right products at the hardware store.
If a petrochemical boom is heading to western Pennsylvania — as it now appears to be — there are some big lessons we can learn from residents living in the shadow of Louisiana's "Chemical Corridor."
If you have an older home, there's a pretty good chance you also have lead paint. But there are some simple things you can do to keep your family safe.
First things first — don't panic. There is plenty you can do to protect your children, and if you take the necessary steps, most kids recover just fine.