Agenda - Council - 06/28/1988 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

'1 Y\IQy',~YrQiQQ.~t~tg?g~."/\ 1 J~J8e \.Vron~i arjswer... . .. .E~'ery' week new information 'leakin~ around the country. One' .emerges to s\.:ggest that there is' landfill designed specifically for .good reason to be concerned ash disposal has contaminated . about the health and environmen- leachate 13 times higher than fed- ,.ta\. effects of burning garbage. eral drinking "''ilter standards for ~Wjth that in mind. I find it hard lead. .... ~to:understand why the Star Trit>- \une would take the Minneapolis . The EPA is preparing to lower C\~y Council to task for v.-anting its acceptable level for lead in the to delay construction of the down- bloodstreams of children. Over 80 .toM'n incinerator until council percent of American children al- -members are convinced that the re3dyhave more than this much .facility is safe. ' 'lead in their bodies, risking learn- _ ~.. :-" ' ing disabilities, intelligence loss ~uc~h ,nev: information includes: and brain damage. . -, . t' ~~.- I.- ... '. ... .ii hi'February. the Environmental . Operating and proposed incin- J?I:.otection Agency released data .~ erators are being shut down' or lQnsoil a.ialvs:s from a residential "defeated as citizens become more -.nejghborr:oOd not far from Phila-, aware of the hazards of burning' ;delphia's Nonhwest incinerator. "garbage. National coalitions of cit- ,I;>ioxin (:oncentrations were al- izens opposed to burning garbage .most 50 li;nes higher than in any', are springing up to coordinate the ..other .urrnm soil in','the nation. ~~:efforts of local groupS around the' "Contamination was seven times nation. {more severe than safe levels. . "j .....-.. .,...,.-. . ~-.......' j' :.y .r T :.&In a survey comparing more than I,OOO:Vietnam veteranS ex~ posed to dioxin-contaminated Agent Orange 'with veterans not exposed to diox.in, the U.S. Air Force found'elevaied ilevCls of cancer, birth def~'::psychologi- QJ damage, impaired liver-iunc- , "ticn ,~nd g1an~ular.m~.Ifunction. - , " ,. .1:..... - -.:" .. .... ...... -'. '. -' .' ... - .,~. ~ . '.-' . . . ' . The most 'recent ,national sur-, vey found-tha-i9.0 perceni of U.S. citizens, have 'enough 'dioxin - in their tisSue to-increase risk of can- ce~ and birth defects significantly. Gfrbage inCineration is the ,most important single Source of dioxin . ... .. l'l"ur.envlr~~Il1_enL :",~":~"" ":' .. . .._ r '. . '._ ~. .... I -rests 'ofresfdues coming out of ,jn~ineralorS 'find high levels of ldd. cadmium and diox.in, often 1(igh' enough for' the ash to be cOnsidered a hazardous waste. :'r .."' E,!en "secure," lined landfills are ....-:. ..... ...~. . Cities that have o'pied not to pour monev .into' incinerators have turned "their attention to reo cycling 'and 'reduction' programs. These communities are making good use of thousands of tons of traSh and keeping 'them 'out of incinerators and landfills.' . Citizens" and -public "officials~' should remain' open to the chang.-- ing face -of solid-waste issues in : this country> Congratulations to :' , . the members' of the Citv Council" who are 'willing to admit that the ' garba~e burner. is a mistake and who are working hard to institute alternatives. It is time for Henne- pin County commissioners as well to listen to their constituents who know that burning garbage poses a long-term toxic threat to, our, health and environmenL "- Joseph Thornton, Chiago:To'xicS'" ampaigner for Greenpeace ',and former director of Greenpeace 1'v1inneso.~. ....,:" ';',:,';:' ...;:,. ~... . 1/