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Cancer Clusters, Landfills, and Warehouses—What Do They Have in Common?
Inside the Pattern of Environmental Neglect That Keeps Hitting Eastwick
Dear Friends of Eastwick,
As we step into our third month of weekly newsletters, we want to thank you for your continued support and commitment to our community. These updates are more than just news—they’re part of a growing movement to protect, uplift, and empower the residents of Eastwick. Every week, we aim to bring you not only awareness, but also real ways to take action—because change begins when we stand together, informed and engaged.
Let’s keep pushing forward.
Buist Avenue in Eastwick, Philadelphia, which was under four feet of water during Tropical Storm Isaias in August 2020
🏗️ How Industrial Storage Facilities Threaten Vulnerable Communities — And How to Stop It Before It Starts
Eastwick is one of the most environmentally burdened neighborhoods in Philadelphia—facing chronic flooding, toxic landfills, and decades of underinvestment. The last thing this community needs is unchecked industrial development making things worse.
Yet many harmful projects move forward without residents ever knowing—not because no one cares, but because few understand the process.
That’s where Registered Community Organizations (RCOs) come in.
🧩 What Are RCOs and Why Do They Matter?
RCOs are official, city-recognized community groups that represent neighborhood voices in zoning and development decisions. Eastwick Friends & Neighbors Coalition (EFNC) is part of a unique RCO consortium—the only one of its kind in Philadelphia—giving the neighborhood a stronger voice.
Here’s how the process works:
🧾 Developers must notify RCOs when applying for zoning variances, special exceptions, or Civic Design Review (CDR)
🗣️ RCOs host public meetings so residents can hear project proposals and raise concerns
🏙️ Community feedback is submitted to the Zoning Board before final decisions are made
But there’s a catch:
🚨 Projects that align with current zoning are considered “by-right.”
This means:
No notification is required
No public meetings are held
No community input is needed
In other words: If we don’t watch the zoning, development can happen right under our noses.
There is a process. And when we understand it, we can use it to protect Eastwick—before it's too late.
🌍 This Is Bigger Than Eastwick
Eastwick’s story reflects a national pattern. Across the U.S., industrial facilities are often placed in vulnerable communities—especially those already dealing with pollution and environmental risk.
🔬 In Union, Illinois:
According to CBS News Chicago, at least 15 rare cancer diagnoses have emerged in a small village with fewer than 600 people.
Families suspect chemical exposure from nearby industrial waste.
The EPA is now investigating it as a potential Superfund site.
🧬 Eastwick has faced cancer clusters too, according to public health expert Dr. Marilyn Howarth, who has long studied the public health risks associated with environmental hazards in Philadelphia. The neighborhood’s proximity to the Clearview Landfill, now a Superfund site, is a prime example of how toxic legacies linger.
The Three Mile Island nuclear accident occurred on March 28, 1979, in Pennsylvania. It was the most serious accident in U.S. commercial nuclear power plant history, resulting in a partial meltdown of one of the reactors. Although there were no immediate deaths, the incident raised long-term concerns about radioactive exposure, oversight failures, and environmental safety. Learn more here.
In the 1990s, legal clerk Erin Brockovich uncovered how Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) had contaminated the water in Hinkley, California with hexavalent chromium, a toxic carcinogen. This led to one of the largest class-action settlements in U.S. history ($333 million). The case drew national attention to environmental justice and corporate accountability.
💡 Lessons for Our Community
These decisions are not random—they follow a formula:
Developers choose vulnerable areas.
“By right” zoning avoids public hearings.
Residents often don’t know where to find the agendas or permits.
Still, Eastwick has proven that organized communities can win
✅ The Clearview Landfill is now a Superfund site.
✅ EFNC’s RCO Consortium is the only one of its kind in Philadelphia.
You don’t need a degree to defend your neighborhood. You just need to stay alert.
Clean up of Clearview Landfill. EPA takes a raincheck. Source: Global Times
🗣️ What You Can Do
Let’s make sure the next development doesn’t fly under the radar.
Take action now:
🧠 Learn how the RCO process works
🏘️ Attend EFNC community meetings
🔍 Track zoning changes and project approvals online
📣 Share what you learn with neighbors
💪 Support EFNC’s advocacy for environmental justice
From the Archives
From the Archives
Developer and City Forces Untimely Decision
When developers and city officials pushed a rushed decision onto Eastwick without sufficient community input, residents saw firsthand why stronger protections are critical today.
🔗 Read the article here
Friends of Heinz Refuge Position Statement
EFNC outlines its environmental justice position on preserving Eastwick’s nearby John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge. The article emphasizes protecting green space from damaging development — aligning perfectly with the newsletter’s focus on the dangers of building industrial facilities in sensitive areas.
🔗 Read the article here
Until next time,
The EFNC team