> > > https://www.activistpost.com/2020/10/epa-approves-radioactive-waste-product-in-road-construction-using-it-to-de-ice-roads-wasnt-bad-enough.html > EPA Approves Radioactive Waste Product in Road Construction. Using It to > De-Ice Roads Wasn’t Bad Enough? > TOPICS:BN Frank <https://www.activistpost.com/tag/bn-frank>EPA > <https://www.activistpost.com/tag/epa>Toxins > <https://www.activistpost.com/tag/toxins> > > October 24, 2020 > > *By B.N. Frank* > > "Much to the dismay of environmentalists and residents, some states are > already using toxic radioactive waste to de-ice roads. Now the EPA has > approved using it in road construction. > More from a ManaSota-88 newsletter: > ManaSota-88, Inc. a 501.c3 Public Health and Environmental Organization > Hazardous Waste Being Mixed into Roads > > If you live next to a road, will you be living next to a hazardous waste > site? Unfortunately, this may be a reality for many, especially in Florida. > > The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced they will > approve the use of phosphogypsum in road construction. Phosphogypsum is the > radioactive waste product left over from the production of fertilizer, and > Florida has a lot of phosphogypsum. > > ManaSota-88 is vigorously opposed to the use of phosphogypsum in roadbeds. > High radionuclide levels, increased health risks, increased groundwater > contamination and lack of state regulatory oversight are some of the many > reasons why phosphogypsum should not be used in road construction. > > EPA and other studies have determined that the use of radioactive > phosphate gypsum wastes as building materials is unsafe and should not be > done. This decision reflects the EPA’s past concern that the radium bearing > waste, if spread throughout the country, would present a public health > threat that would continue for generations, given radium’s 1,630-year > radioactive decay half-life. > > However, the current administrator of the EPA, Andrew Wheeler, supports > the phosphate industries attempt dispose of their waste by mixing it with > concrete used for road construction. > The distribution of phosphogypsum will unnecessarily expose workers, the > environment, and the general public to otherwise avoidable radiation > exposure." > > > By B.N. Frank <https://www.activistpost.com/tag/bn-frank> > > Much to the dismay of environmentalists and residents, some states are > already using toxic radioactive waste to de-ice roads > <https://www.activistpost.com/2020/02/radioactive-waste-from-oil-and-gas-wells-used-to-de-ice-streets-in-13-states-ohio-bill-aims-to-protect-this.html>. > Now the EPA > <https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-approves-use-phosphogypsum-road-construction> > has approved using it in road construction. > > More from a ManaSota-88 newsletter: > ------------------------------ > > *ManaSota-88, Inc. a 501.c3 Public Health and Environmental Organization* > > *Hazardous Waste Being Mixed into Roads* > > If you live next to a road, will you be living next to a hazardous waste > site? Unfortunately, this may be a reality for many, especially in Florida. > > The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced they will > approve the use of phosphogypsum in road construction. Phosphogypsum is the > radioactive waste product left over from the production of fertilizer, and > Florida has a lot of phosphogypsum. > > ManaSota-88 is vigorously opposed to the use of phosphogypsum in roadbeds. > High radionuclide levels, increased health risks, increased groundwater > contamination and lack of state regulatory oversight are some of the many > reasons why phosphogypsum should not be used in road construction. > > EPA and other studies have determined that the use of radioactive > phosphate gypsum wastes as building materials is unsafe and should not be > done. This decision reflects the EPA’s past concern that the radium bearing > waste, if spread throughout the country, would present a public health > threat that would continue for generations, given radium’s 1,630-year > radioactive decay half-life. However, the current administrator of the EPA, > Andrew Wheeler, supports the phosphate industries attempt dispose of their > waste by mixing it with concrete used for road construction. > > The distribution of phosphogypsum will unnecessarily expose workers, the > environment, and the general public to otherwise avoidable radiation > exposure. > > To allow the use of phosphogypsum as a construction material is the height > of irresponsibility. Allowing phosphogypsum to be used for road > construction will open the regulatory door for the use of phosphogypsum in > construction or agricultural applications. The radioactive decay of this > material will emit particles that can cause increased cancer risks and > unacceptable radiation levels in areas normally not having such problems. > > To date, there have been no published scientific studies confirming that > there is a “safe” industrial process to convert phosphogypsum for uses such > as roads. EPA’s exemption to their own radiation rule seems to be based > more on EPA’s failure to reduce in the generation of toxic phosphogypsum > rather than reducing the public health hazard posed by this material. All > uses of phosphogypsum can cause significant health risks. > > In addition to high radium 226 levels, central Florida phosphogypsum also > contains significant amounts of sulfur and various heavy metals such as > arsenic, barium, cadmium, and lead. Contaminated water and dissolved > materials containing these toxins have the potential to seep from > phosphogypsum used for construction purposes and pollute the underlying > aquifer. > > Phosphate companies have had more than 50 years to figure out a way to > dispose of the radioactive gypsum wastes in an environmentally acceptable > manner but have yet to do so. Instead, the industry is producing tens of > millions of tons of waste annually, and the industry continues to expand > its dumping operations. > > ManaSota-88 does not believe the phosphate industry should be permitted to > externalize the costs of their phosphogypsum waste disposal problem at the > public’s expense. The cost is too high. > > EPA Approves Use of Phosphogypsum in Road Construction > <https://manasota88.us14.list-manage.com/track/click?u=4e54c07ab653481bfc55c5068&id=b3f4d46355&e=69a2def0a7> > > > > ---
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