Rosewood Residents Digging for Toxic Clean-Up Answers

(WOLO) COLUMBIA,S.C., — The fear over existing toxic lead and arsenic found in the soil of a dozen homes in the Rosewood community brought many of those citizens out in the rain to get answers. Once they arrived and started asking who would be responsible for the clean up, some say they were left disappointed. Most of them finding out the meeting was focused on Associated Asphalt. A company who wants to obtain the use of a facility in the neighborhood. While Associated Asphalt offered to clean up the area by making beautification and maintaining a high standard of maintenance to ensure residents safety, those living in the area wanted answers from DHEC about toxins discovered 3 weeks ago. 8 year resident, John Knapp says his yard tested negative for the substances. Still, the streets surrounding him are all contaminated. With a wife and 2 year old, he wants know how safe they are in their own home. “really we got a sales pitch on how the community needs to embrace the new ownership in the Seaco plant. I think most of us came to find out what’s going to happen with DHEC.” City officias say what’s happening is work. According to city councilman Moe Baddourgh, work is being done rapidly to find out what permanent solutions can be put in place to resolve the issue. 300 samples have been collected from residents in the effected neighborhood. Baddourgh says they’re still waiting for more data to come in before they are able to make a final decision regarding how and when they can clean it up. City officials and DHEC plan to meet with effected residents later this week to discuss some of those possible solutions.