Pollution Engineering - October 2008 - (Page 11)

this spring and summer, debris and water were caught in the wire mesh that was installed in some sections of the fence. Rain in that part of the country can rapidly build and flash flooding can occur. Any obstruction can add to the flooding problems. “While the Bush administration may claim it’s taking environmental impacts of the border wall into consideration, building wire mesh fences across washes prone to debris-laden floods is fundamentally flawed,” said Robin Silver, a spokesman for the Center for Biological Diversity, in a statement. “It doesn’t take an expert hydrologist to anticipate the potential for these walls to become like dams,” said Matt Clark, a spokesman for Defenders of Wildlife. “We are anxious to look at the information contained in the report and then sit down and look at what adjustments might be made to correct the problem,” said Barry Morrissey, a Customs and Border Protection spokesman in reference to a report from the Park Service. 41 Million People have Drugs in Their Water Last spring, a report by the Associated Press estimated that 41 million people in the U.S. are currently exposed to drinking water that contains pharmaceutical drugs. Though it is by no means certain, the EPA has since taken the possibility seriously that such contaminants could be affecting human health. “People think that if they take a medication, their body absorbs it and it disappears, but of course that’s not the case,” said Christian Daughton, a scientist for the agency. The EPA in August announced it is seeking comment on an information collection request that will be used in a study of unused pharmaceutical disposal methods by hospitals, longterm care facilities, hospices and veterinary hospitals. The agency said it is seeking more information on the practices of the health care industry to inform future potential regulatory actions, and identify best management and proper disposal practices. This is one of several actions, according to an EPA release, that the agency is taking to strengthen its understanding of disposal practices and potential risks from pharmaceuticals in water. A study of a stream in Nebraska determined that 10 percent of the steroids given to cattle passed directly through them. Steam samples found that steroid concentrations downstream were four times higher than upstream of the feedlot. Additionally, the heads of fish downstream were smaller and levels of testosterone were depressed. It is still unknown at what concentrations these chemicals can cause harm, or whether the federal government will require enterprises to monitor or control them. It is known that some chemical See us at WEFTEC Hall B, Booth #27143 PLE09084FLUI.indd 1 8/11/08 11:24:21 11 OCTOBER2008 www.pollutionengineering.com AM http://www.dynablend.com http://www.dynablend.com http://www.pollutionengineering.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Pollution Engineering - October 2008

Pollution Engineering - October 2008 Contents The Editor’s Desk EnviroNews PE Events Legal Lookout Green Connections Clearing the Air Water for People There’s a New Show in Town Catching Wind for Clean Water Taking the Pressure off Blower Selection Pulsed Plasma Positive Redundancy Product Focus: Municipal Water Treatment Product Focus: Monitoring Equipment PE Products Classified Marketplace Advertisers Index State Rules

Pollution Engineering - October 2008

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