Sometimes conspiracy theories turn out to be entirely real.
In Oyster Bay, located in the state of New York, USA, in the vicinity of Stewart Avenue, mysterious increases in cancer cases among people have been recorded over the past decades.
Many immediately blamed this on chemical substances in the water and soil, which had been deposited there after the activities of the company Northrop Grumman, which had previously operated in the area. However, their claims were not given much attention.
Local residents were so concerned about the rising cancer rates that in 2013, following their complaints, the Department of Health initiated a special cancer study in the state of New York.
This three-year study did not reveal a significant spike in cancer incidence in this area, which includes 20 blocks and affects Bethpage Public Park. However, it did find that in one of these blocks, all identified cases of oncology affected younger individuals than the statistical average.
It also turned out that in one family, living right next to Bethpage Public Park, oncology was diagnosed in three people simultaneously, which also seemed to be an anomaly.
At the same time, officials noted that it was “practically impossible” to link the identified cancer clusters in residential homes to environmental pollution.
Recently, construction workers excavating soil in this park unearthed six barrels containing highly toxic substances for humans – chlorinated solvents and used oil. These barrels were indeed buried there by Northrop Grumman, which leased the park land from 1954 to 1994. The company was involved in designing and testing military aircraft.
It is assumed that the contents of these barrels seeped into the soil and spread up to four miles, affecting the nearest 20 blocks. The contaminated area is outlined in red in the image below.
Bethpage Public Park was closed about 20 years ago precisely due to concerns about heavily contaminated soil, yet this location is situated right among residential homes and public centers.
“The discovery of barrels in these coffin-like containers is further evidence that Grumman created an environmental graveyard of pollutants right here in this park,” said Oyster Bay inspector Joseph Saladino.
The barrels were buried at a depth of approximately 2 meters, and construction workers accidentally punctured one of the barrels during work. Thus, even more chemicals seeped into the soil.
It was reported that as far back as 2023, residents of homes near Bethpage Park found hexavalent chromium in soil samples, which is a byproduct of industrial processes and is associated with various types of cancer. They filed a lawsuit against Northrop Grumman, but the current status of this lawsuit is not reported in the media.
“For decades, Northrop Grumman knew that due to its burial sites, toxic substances were seeping into the only drinking water source on Long Island, but for decades Northrop Grumman denied its responsibility.
Long Island residents paid for the negligence of this company, but today we finally make Grumman fight against environmental abuses, paying municipalities and the state that have to clean up,” said state Attorney General Letitia James.
The fact that the area is indeed heavily polluted with toxic waste that seeped into the soil was identified by local authorities back in 1986. However, it was only in 2022 that Northrop Grumman and state officials in New York reached a $104 million deal for soil cleanup from toxic substances.
However, the fact that the barrels were discovered by random builders so far only indicates that Northrop Grumman is either very slow in carrying out the “cleanup” or simply no longer remembers where their toxic waste is buried. There have been suggestions that these six barrels are just the visible part of the burial, and there may be even more waste containers buried beneath them in the ground.
