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<br />to .: ~lt~~"'!~~~ ,.~!-I~::~of.'>~~~~,:;\.~~.~~*:':':":~"::~:~~': ", ./"i.~~~~"~'''''':~'-'' ."', <:,~~'''', ..:.';"--:';' ,l
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<br />,Every' week' new information 'leaking'around' the country. One
<br />_eJ"fterges to s\!ggest that there is ..' landfill designed specifically for
<br />,good reason. to be concerned ash disposal has contaminated
<br />,about the health and environmen- leachate 13 times higher than fed-
<br />. .t;l",etTects of burning garbage. . eral drinking water standards for
<br />~Wjth that in mind, I find it hard lead.' '
<br />~t,():understand why the Star Trib-
<br />l!.lne would take the Minneapolis
<br />C\ty Council to task for wanting
<br />to delay construction of the down-
<br />_twvn incinerator until council
<br />-,m~mbers are convinced that the
<br />, _fa~iJity is ~fe.' '. '
<br />
<br />. _ ~ J ,~-... ""!l..~~.
<br />,Such new information includes:
<br />'. t.:' ~~,.: '.k' ~. . ~; .-'1
<br />, Iii In'February, the Environmental . Operating and proposed in~in-
<br />, ::.Eu>tection Agency released data - erators are being shut down' or
<br />lQQ,soil a.1alysis from a residential "'defeated as Citizens become more.
<br />~p:ejghborhllod not far from Phila-, aware, of the haZards of burning
<br />:delphia's Northwest incinerator. '.' '<garbage. National coalitions of cit-
<br />IJ;>ioxin (:oncentrationswere al- izens opposed to burning garbage
<br />.most 50 .li:nes higher than in any " are springing up to coordinate the
<br />_Qtber, .ui'lJ<LO.Soil,in.::the nation. .;:, effortso( local groups around the'
<br />, &ontamination was seven times nation.
<br />(more severe than safe levels. " '.' ',;;', "
<br />_ r ':( " .' .' . Cities that have opted no(',to ,
<br />, .In a ,survey~~parillg ,more pour money ,into'; incinerators",
<br />than I,OOO-Vietriam'veterans ex;' have fumed their aitentiotito''fe- :
<br />posed to dioxin"'Containinated cycling and:rOOuctloir' pfOgrariis. "
<br />Agent;~g(f.withveteransnot The~ communities are making
<br />exposed to dioxin, the ,U.S., Air good use of thousands of tons of
<br />Force found "elevated llevelS" of trash' and:keepmg"them 'out of .
<br />ca'lteer, birth defects....:psychologi- incinerators and landfills. .
<br /><$1 damage; imp~iied liver-func:.... ' .
<br />. ; tJof,l a,I!d,gIandulai malfunction," Citize'n~'" arid o'public-"offidals""" \
<br />" ,,' t-:.",.~:."",~,,,,;::,,' "',' '"eT,i';:';' <': '<, :".' , should remain- open' to the chang_,_-
<br />. The moSt 'recent ~nationalsur':' ing face' -Of ,solid-waste issueS'in"';
<br />vey foundtliit,90 pereeniofU:S.,' this' countrY:'\Congi'atulations'to':;:' "
<br />Q!izens:,have'enougli"dioxin"in . the members"ofthe City Council,",~:
<br />. . t~eir tisSue to~inCrease risk of can- who are ~Willing to admit that the'
<br />cel and ~!~ ~efe~ts."s!gnifican~IY, garba~e~\1Ill~r.is a mis~e. and
<br />~@rbage lD~lllex:a,tion 1S the ,~o~t who ~ workiD:g h.ard to lDStItute
<br />l~portant smgIe source of dlOxm alternatIVes. It 15 tIme for Henne- ,.
<br />i~iPur environm.!=nt.,> ,-,;",-, pin .County coJ!imissio.ners as well
<br />'f.' ,'c ,,:,: f' ~ "','w',", .0': to hsten to thetr constltuents who
<br />, T;csts of residues coming. out.of kno~ that burning garbage poses a
<br />JI,1~irie~t6~.:fi.ndhigh leyels' of long-term toxic,.threat to. ,~U:r,.'
<br />le4d. cadmium and dioxin, often ' health and environ'ment.', ',.:~,.,
<br />~igh . enough -fo( the ,ash to be Joseph Thornton, C~icago. Toxicli'
<br /><Xhsidered a hazardous waste. .':~' campaigner for,'Greenpeace .~and ",
<br />r', , '. ." . '. former director of Gi'eenpeace
<br />~en "secure," lined landfills are Minnesoja.,'~" :,.. ,"';",
<br />~~. ,," '..~, ,........~,
<br />
<br />. The EP A is preparing to lower
<br />its acceptable level for lead in the
<br />bloodstreams of children. Over 80
<br />percent of American children al- '
<br />ready have more than this much
<br />lead in their bodies, risking learn- .
<br />,ing disabilities, intelligence loss.
<br />and brain damage. ,,',' ,. ,
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