Email Subject Heading: Thank you for responding
My daughter has severe asthma and lung issues. I am concerned about the amount of dust and other toxin that are going to be released into the air at the time of the demolition. What is the projection for the dust and toxins being released into the air? How long until the dust is predicted to settle and what toxins are we expecting to be released into the atmosphere? We live on the westside of town near Coronado High School for a reference point.
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Have a Wonderful Day!
Lisa Ann Schoenbrun
Dear Ms. Schoenbrun,
Thanks for contacting us with your concerns. I address your questions and concerns below, but please do not hesitate to contact me again if you have more questions or need more clarification.
We have collected samples from the two stacks, and had them analyzed for metals, volatile organic compounds and semi-volatile organic compounds. Based on the results of the sampling and analysis, metals were detected in the concrete samples from the stack, which is expected given that concrete is composed of many materials containing metal (gravel, sand, cement, steel reinforcement). Based on results from air-dispersion modeling, these measured metals concentrations will not cause exceedances of standards for metals in air at the property boundary during stack demolition. Very low concentrations of a few VOCs and SVOCs constituents were also detected or reported at estimated concentrations and do not pose a risk during demolition. You can see the analysis results, and get more detailed information about the sampling, at this page of our website. The webpage also has information about the extensive dust control measures that we are using during the demolition.
From your e-mail I note that your home is about 3.5 miles from the stacks’ fall zone. It is very, very unlikely that there will be any dust impact at such a distance from the site. All of our efforts are aimed to keeping the dust within the boundaries of the site. It is expected that the dust will settle back to the ground within minutes of the demolition.
But because your daughter is very sensitive to dust, you may want to consider some the dust awareness suggestions we post on this page of our website: http://www.recastingthesmelter.com/?p=3378
Again, thanks for reaching out to us.
Regards,
Roberto Puga, P.G.
Comment by hmcmurray — April 8, 2013 @ 3:49 pm
Hi, Lisa Ann,
The whole truth is not being told.
Go to http://epgtlo.blogspot.com and download the EPA DOJ document (73 pages) that was a secret agreement between EPA and the U.S. Dept. of Justice in 1998 about the illegal incinerations Asarco El PAso did for ten or more years.
We now know that the chemical found in nuclear reactor control rods is measured in greater quantity in attic dusts closer to the smelter than further away. Why?
We know that smelters like this one commonly produce radioactive lead.
If you have refrigerated air, that is best. Seal your windows for a few days at least
so you are not picking up fugitive dusts.
There is a lot of information of of that blog’s scribe link in the folder with 35 files.
Take a look. It will curl your hair.
They should be leaving the stack up and plugging it. They are going to bury it in
an arroyo over 60 % of our water supply and even the osmosis water treament does not
remove a deadly form of arsenic called arsenate easily. The trustee claims
he’ll “…finish construction of the Interim Channel to convey clean storm water through Parker Brothers Arroyo.” but their is no clean storm water off our mountains, because Asarco
has been depositing this bad stuff all over the mountains for 100 years.
I wish that they’d tell us all the truth.
Heather