CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) - There was a demand for clean air Wednesday night in the Pilsen neighborhood.
Hundreds of people turned out at St. Paul Catholic Church to demand that the city, state and federal governments put an end to their neighborhood being a dumping ground for polluters.
Eight-year-old 2nd grader Apolonia Jackson gave a passionate speech and showed the contents of her backpack. Her pencil, crayons, her favorite book, “Diary of a Wimpy Kid,” and, most importantly, her inhaler.
“I know we are being poisoned by our lungs. Our lungs are being destroyed by polluters. Now we are at war. We are at war to save our lungs to breathe clean air,” Jackson said.
St. Anne Elementary School student Joshua Graves said his grandmother has a rare form of lung cancer.
“I don’t think this is a coincidence. It is because of industrial polluters. They are poisoning us. They are killing us,” said Graves.
Many speakers Wednesday night specifically criticized Sims Metal Management, a scrap metal business that emits pollution into the air. But, they said there are many other companies that are guilty, too.
Holy Ground Youth pastor Tonya Lozano said she and her two young children have to carry inhalers with them for asthma.
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“Our communities are dumping grounds for other people’s waste. Our communities are being poisoned,” said Lozano.
“Even if Sims were to be shut down, it would not solve the problem. sims is responsible for a small fraction of the tons and tons of pollutants being pumped into our community,” Lozano added.
Pastor Lozano called for a cumulative impact health study on the effects of pollution on the people of Pilsen and a moratorium on any new polluters until that study is finished.
“We want a concrete plan to reduce the intolerable amount of pollution in our community and we are being more than reasonable,” Lozano said.
The city announced Wednesday a major study on the impact of pollution on the people of Pilsen and other Chicago residents.