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HISTORY

In 1977 , the Transit Authority built a graffiti removal station in its Coney Island train yard, in an attempt to discourage graffiti artists. Costing the city $400 thousand annually, trains were sprayed with petroleum hydroxide, after which the graffiti was buffed off. However, the buffing process often failed to completely remove graffiti, leaving a dull stain which many saw as much uglier than the original artwork.
Those in contact with the chemical experienced nausea and breathing difficulties, leading to the closing of a nearby public school. The chemical also corroded the trains, and contaminated the city's water suply, through unsafe dumping. In 1985 , transit workers were awarded $6.3 million for "health problems stemming from exposure to fumes from cleaning solvents."


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