Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Palmerton Zinc Pile Superfund site

This is the zinc smelter which so badly polluted the ridge where the trail goes through Lehigh Gap. At one point this factory produced 75% of the world's zinc. Over the 90 years it was in full production it killed off all the vegetation in the area, and likely some of the residents of Palmerton.
In 1982 the ridge was totally barren, a lunar landscape. Now after years of cleanup it's green again, with planted birch and pines among the dead trees, even some flowers like bleeding heart plants.

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