Arsenic, lead and cadmium in our waters?

Due to a recent Supreme Court case, Coeur Alaska, Inc. v. Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, a mining company will dump toxic mining waste into a pristine Alaskan lake on national forest lands.

Redefining mine waste as "fill material," which is exempt from EPA pollution standards. Conservation groups and EPA have proposed a better alternative that would prevent the discharge of toxic wastes into any lake or stream.

Take action to protect our water.

Mine tailings and their associated metal contaminants, such as arsenic, lead, and cadmium, are prone to wind (eolian) dispersion and water erosion. Wind dispersion occurs because the fine tailings particles (silty sand-like material) and their associated contaminants are easily suspended into the atmosphere by wind and dispersed throughout the environment as dust particles. The spread of metal toxins associated with tailings has been shown to result in measurable elevated levels in wildlife and humans. For more information, visit the Superfund site: http://superfund.pharmacy.arizona.edu/Mine_Tailings.php

Take action to protect our water.

Tags: tailings, fill material, arsenic, lead, cadmium