One family's story
Houston, Texas Mayor Bill White is getting tough on toxic polluters in a city that ranks among the top ten for dirtiest air in the country. Companies that White and his staff have targeted are reducing their emissions of benzene, butadiene and other toxic chemicals. But is the air quality improving fast enough for families who live with the health effects of toxic emissions everyday?
The Marroquin family lives in the Manchester neighborhood of Southeast Houston in the shadow of refineries and chemical plants that spew tons of toxic benzene and butadiene into the air each year. In 2003 their lives changed when their oldest child, Valentin, was diagnosed with lymphocytic leukemia. Since then, studies have shown that children living near petrochemical facilities have a higher risk for all types of leukemia.
Rosario Marroquin says before her son became ill, she and her husband thought life was perfect. They wanted more kids,. Now guilt, blame, worry and stress plague the family,
Valentin is 10 years old now and the leukemia is in remission. But the nightmare continues for the Marroquin family. They are concerned about the future health of their three daughters, Monica, 9, Miranda, 4 and Victoria, 2. Marroquin says the children don't understand why they can't go out and play on a pretty day,
Rosario says she gets upset with the refineries when she sees flares and smoke on cloudy days, or at night when inspectors are not around. She plans to leave the Manchester neighborhood as soon as she can.