Wednesday, December 9, 2015
Fort Nisqually Closing For Soil Replacement
Exit 133 is reporting (here) that Fort Nisqually at Point Defiance Park will close during January and February early next year. The closure will allow the Department of Ecology to send in crews to replace soil as part of their Tacoma Smelter Plume clean up program.
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boondoggle
The News Tribune LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
NOVEMBER 25, 2015
Asarco: Yes, smelter did have negative effects
Alexander Schauss, Puyallup
As the author of “Minerals, Trace Elements and Human Health,” I read with dismay the persistent urban legend that the Asarco smelter in Ruston had not been a health risk to the community. Quite the contrary.
In the early 1980s, a former Washington state epidemiologist and I studied dozens of children who lived on Vashon Island, in Ruston, in Tacoma and in surrounding communities who exhibited serious behavior problems, including a 9-year-old boy who lived in Ruston and was charged with attempted murder of a 10-year-old girl.
Blood, urine and hair tests revealed that many of these children had significantly elevated arsenic, lead and/or cadmium levels - all known to be toxic to the brain - as well as imbalances in the ratio of zinc to copper from excessive copper exposure that can lead to hyperactivity, anxiety and/or poor impulse control.
These findings led to further investigations that revealed infants, children and young adults exposed to the smelter were at increased risk of a range of short-term and long-term behavior problems and health consequences because they absorb far more of these neurotoxic metals than adults do.
The smelter’s owner could have added scrubbers to remove these metals but elected not to.
My letter to editor follows. There were two letters in response to mine both had written books and had a financial interest in sustaining this boondoggle. I was born in Ruston and lived there or in immediate vicinity until downsizing recently and have no interest other than presenting the other side.
As to the cleanup Ruston residents were were faced with a cleanup or a cloud on their property title. For some the allure of a free new lawn made their decision for them.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR NOVEMBER 9, 2015
ASARCO: Name someone harmed by smelter fallout
James Wingard, University Place
Re: “Toxic shock” (TNT, 11-8).
The Asarco smelter furnace was fired up on Sept. 12, 1889. Operated as a lead smelter for three years. Who would have thought it would have an extended life as a bureaucratic hire-and-retire project?
Into the 1950s, workers had a vegetable garden and raised chickens for eggs on the plant site, I personally know of one retired smelter worker who lived to the ripe old age of 102.
One question is still unanswered: Can you name one person harmed by smelter fallout?
A put-it-to-rest question: Can you name one smelter worker harmed in the 100 years of smelter operation?
My grandfather worked at the smelter and helped build the stack. My father was born in 1906 and lived one block from the smelter for 90 years. I came home to our house one block from the plant in 1934 and lived across from the plant on Waterview Street until 2005. I am nearing 82, still going strong and playing golf every Thursday weather permitting.
I’m glad to speak before any group.
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