The Bingham Park Environmental Justice Initiative seeks to build a better, healthier Bingham Park. The park is located in east Greensboro and sits atop the toxic waste of a pre-regulatory landfill which operated from 1925 to 1955. Many of those toxins are still present to this day.
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The efforts of this initiative are aimed at revitalizing Bingham Park to make it safe and enjoyable for everyone. We are involved in ongoing remediation discussions with the City of Greensboro and NC DEQ. Join us for one of the bi-monthly community meetings or quarterly community clean-up events by following this link and signing up for future emails.
What is a Pre-Regulatory Landfill?
Landfills built before January 1, 1983 were not built according to modern standards to prevent waste and runoff from contaminating soil, air and water. These are called "pre-regulatory landfills" because they were built prior to the development of our current rules and regulations for waste disposal.
These landfills were often unlined and may contain toxic materials such as lead and asbestos.
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Almost a century ago, the City of Greensboro built an incinerator in the area that is now Bingham Park. After the city's waste was burnt in the incinerator, the ash and materials were buried in the ground. The incinerator operated for about thirty years, from about 1925 to 1955.
The incinerator no longer exists, but its waste material remains under Bingham Park, and in some areas is as thick as 20 feet.
What's in the Ground in Bingham Park?
The NC Department of Environmental Quality (NC DEQ) has conducted several studies of the soil, air and water at Bingham Park. The park contains almost 13 acres of waste underneath the grass.
What Does this Mean
for My Health?
Just walking through the park is not dangerous to human or pet health. However, because of the waste in the area, people should take care to avoid exposure to pollution. Children digging in the soil could be exposed to arsenic, iron, manganese, nickel, and lead that are in soil close to the surface. Park users should avoid drinking water from or wading in the stream.
