Detoxing Your Environment

Health Impacts of Remediation — and Inaction
Chemical contamination does not disappear on its own. When remediation is delayed or incomplete, exposure can continue through air, soil, and water—leading to ongoing and worsening health impacts for affected communities.

Remediation can reduce exposure and prevent further harm, but it must be done carefully. Poorly planned cleanup can temporarily increase exposure by disturbing contaminated soil or releasing trapped vapors. Without strong safeguards, transparency, and health monitoring, remediation itself can pose risks.

The health impacts of not remediating are clear from lived experience: chronic illness, respiratory and neurological symptoms, and long-term uncertainty. CICC calls for remediation that prioritizes human health, minimizes risk, and includes ongoing health tracking—so cleanup reduces harm instead of prolonging it.

Communities Taking Action While Waiting for Cleanup
When official remediation is delayed, communities are often forced to find ways to protect themselves in the meantime. Across impacted areas, residents are using natural, low-risk approaches to support their environment—such as planting vegetation to stabilize soil, improving indoor air quality, and restoring green spaces that help reduce dust and runoff.

These community-led efforts are not a replacement for proper remediation or accountability. They are acts of protection and resilience while people wait for responsible cleanup to occur. By working together and sharing knowledge, communities can reduce everyday exposure risks and reclaim some control over their surroundings.

CICC supports community-driven environmental stewardship as a temporary, supportive measure—while continuing to demand comprehensive, science-based remediation that fully addresses contamination at its source.