The city wants to re-open a landfill in Pelham Bay Park for public recreation, however, many residents are worried that the property will never be environmentally safe.

Patricia Nonnon claims her daughter?s death from cancer at the age of 10 is due to the landfill. Nonnon says the Department of Environmental Conservation has not done the proper testing to make sure the land is not toxic. Hari Pant, a professor of geological sciences, says if toxic or hazardous waste was put in the landfill, it will never be safe. Concerned Bronx residents have teamed up with Assemblyman Michael Benedetto (D-BX) to hold the city accountable. They say they have the right to know what is in their backyard. Bendetto says he plans to form a group that will oversee the use of the landfill.

The parks department claims it has worked with environmental agencies to run tests to make sure the land is safe.