Greater Fifth Ward Communities
Houston, Texas
Uniting to Restore Environmental Saftey and Public Health
What is the Greater Fifth Ward?
Historical contamination and environmental injustices have plagued the communities for far too long. Today, Greater Fifth Ward is made up of several smaller communities such as Fifth Ward proper, Kashmere Gardens, and Denver Harbor.
How'd those toxins get there?
Until the 1980s, several local industrial facilities used a chemical mixture called creosote to treat wood. The facilities today are known as the Union Pacific Railyard, the North Cavalcade Superfund Site, and the South Cavalcade Street Superfund Site.
What does this mean for our community's health?
Exposure to creosote can occur through contact with contaminated water or through inhalation of vapors. Health issues associated with creosote exposure include damage to the lungs and eyes, increased sensitivity to sunlight, stomach pains, skin rash, and kidney or liver problems.
What's being done for our community?
THEA is working with Greater Fifth Ward residents, advocacy groups, and government officials to ensure accurate information is distributed throughout the communities. When environmental advocates and communities unite, there is nothing that can stop the fight for public health and a safer environment.
What is a Cancer Cluster?
A cancer cluster is any instance where a greater-than-expected number of cancer cases are found to have occurred over a period over time within a certain geographic area.
The Greater Fifth Ward Cancer Cluster is a confirmed cancer cluster, and for decades residents have lived, worked, and recreated among toxic soup.
In 2019 and 2020, Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) investigated the rates of several cancer types for the Greater Fifth Ward communities. The results revealed abnormally high rates of acute myeloid leukemia, and other cancers such as esophageal, larynx, liver, lung, and bronchus in adults, plus acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children.
Birth Defects in Greater Fifth Ward
In March of 2020, DSHS released a study indicating that six of the seven birth defects assessed in the Greater Fifth Ward were at rates higher than the averages in Harris County. There were, however, several inconsistencies in the methodology DSHS employed in this study, so we are urging DSHS to conduct a more accurate, comprehensive analysis of birth defect rates in the area.
September 9, 2021 | Newsweek | EPA Seeks Info From Union Pacific About 'Contaminated' Site Near Texas Cancer Cluster
August 3, 2021 | Environmental Health News | Life on the Houston Fifth Ward’s Plume
June 24, 2021 | Texas Standard | Houstonians Living In Neighborhoods With High Rates Of Cancer Say Rail Yard’s Cleanup Plans Fall Short
February 10, 2020 | Fox 7 Austin | Houston Fifth Ward residents want answers on cancer cluster
January 21, 2020 | ABC 13 | Residents hold meeting to discuss cancer cluster in their neighborhood
January 1, 2020 | Houston Chronicle | Everything you need to know about the cancer cluster in Houston’s Fifth Ward
December 9, 2019 | Click2Houston | Cancer cluster found in Fifth Ward, Kashmere Gardens
Looking Forward
Great achievements can take place when communities and governments cooperate for the betterment of the environment. We need your support to continue the work we do with the Greater Fifth Ward. We have earned respect from government agency officials and from federal, state, and local policymakers – now we need your donation to help us keep our boots on the ground.
EVENTS
Join our team at an upcoming talk or town hall.
Greater Fifth Ward Community Meeting
Register HERE to join us in person or virtually for the Greater Fifth Ward Community Meeting. In-Person Location: True Love Baptist Church, 4029 Falls St, Houston, TX 77026
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San Jacinto River Coalition Community Meeting
Register HERE to join us in person or virtually for the San Jacinto River Coalition Meeting. In-Person Location: San Jacinto Community Center 604 Highland Woods Dr. Highlands, TX 77562
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