Residents of Kentucky suffer disproportionately from many chronic diseases and exposure to toxics in their environment. Dangerously high rates of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, and cancer in Kentucky have been well documented. Health statistics across Metro Louisville demonstrate the persistence of health disparities by race and class. Our areas of focus are West Louisville and Rubbertown, encompassing six zip codes within the larger Metro area; the Lees Lane landfill Superfund site within West Louisville; and Oakdale, a neighborhood near Churchill Downs with high VOC exposure

Rubbertown is a designated area within West Louisville that is currently home to 10 industrial chemical plants8 employing 1,500 workers and situated within one mile of nearly 30,000 residents .  Historically, Rubbertown was home to even more plants, such as BF Goodrich, that have since shuttered their doors, but have left behind a legacy of industrial exposures and contamination.  For example, the vinyl chloride-hepatic hemeangiosarcoma link was found at the BF Goodrich plant. The chemical complex has been regarded as the major source of toxic air emissions in Jefferson County, with emissions moving eastward given the typical weather patterns of the region. Louisville has two designated Superfund sites (Lee’s Lane and Redd Penn Landfill), hundreds of abandoned hazardous waste sites (Black Leaf, Park Hill corridor, 18th St. corridor, Paddy Run), and ~25% of the downtown area has been classified as brownfields. Given the proximity of Rubbertown and the Lee’s Lane Superfund site to the Ohio River, water pollution also remains a concern.  

Superfund Sites of Interest:

Lee's Lane Landfill

Riverside Garden

Valley of Drums

Camp Lejeune