A Beautiful Place Taken Away

By Adriana Cappelli

The “Toxic Legacy” series on Northjersey.com tells the story of many families in the area of Ringwood that are being affected by paint sludge and contamination by Ford, the American automobile company. 

The mountains in Ringwood have been the chosen area for Ford to release chemicals from the products they use to build cars, a situation that puts 2.5 million North Jersey residents who benefit from its watershed at risk.

 “Toxic Legacy” tells the story of Paul Van Dunk’s family. His family has been rooted in the Ramapo Mountains for generations.  He recalls his grandfather working in the mountains, a place that at one point in time was alive and fertile, and now has become littered with paint sludge.

“My dream, if I had the money, would be to just get out of here and take my grandchildren as far away from here as I could,” Van Dunk said.

 The statement above applies to the generation and class fault lines.  It shows Paul’s concerns about his grandchildren, the new generation and also a lack of funds that would allow his family to leave.

If Paul and others decided to leave, it would be the end for the Ramapoughs.  It is very sad that men take a beautiful place away.  

This type of reporting casts a spotlight on humanity.  It describes the inhumane conditions in which the inhabitants of the Ramapough community are living. Many of its residents have been diagnosed with rare tumors and other diseases. 

It is so unfair that because of men’s ambition many innocent people have died and will continue dying.  Unfortunately, the community of Ringwood will have to carry that pollution for their rest of their lives.  I don’t think this community would ever be completely clean in the future.