Pollution Engineering - February 2009 - (Page 10)

ENVIRONEWS Third World Tragedy A story by the Associated Press details the tragic deaths of innocent people in Thiaroye Sur Mer, Senegal. Sadly, similar stories are happening all around the world to people living in similar circumstances. Problems in this town of 100,000 people became evident as the animals began dying in larger numbers, but then the children began to become ill and treatment did little to stop their deaths. At first, the people suspected an epidemic of malaria or tuberculosis was assaulting them. However, medical treatments continued to fail to stop or even slow the rising tides of mortalities. This was once an established fishing village. However, local blacksmiths discovered that they could make a good living by splitting open old batteries with hatches and quickly snatching the lead from the burning acid that ran onto the ground. Tests showed that the lead had collected in the soils so much that businessmen from other fast growing Photo courtesy of CAURIE, a microcountries paid locals finance relief organization, part of for any lead they Catholic Relief Services could collect. The women found that they could screen the soil and the amount of lead they bagged for sale easily out performed the money that had been making before. How were they to know that the dust from their operations was getting into the lungs of the animals and children? Who should be responsible to teach them? Who should be responsible to help them? The government cleaned up the soil but tests show that the soils are still high in lead. Sacks filled with lead pellets still lean against walls as the torrential rains continue to leach the lead back into the soil. New Discharge Permits for Vessels A new general permit will reduce releases of 26 types of discharges from vessels operating in U.S. waters. As a result of a court ruling, vessel owners and operators who have previously been exempt from Clean Water Act requirements for the last 35 years will now require a permit. Beginning Dec. 19, 2008 approximately 61,000 domestically flagged commercial vessels and 8,000 foreign-flagged vessels will need to a permit. The permit covers non-recreational vessels 79 feet in length or longer, such as cruise ships or oil and cargo tankers, but excludes 10 Pollution Engineering FEBRUARY2009

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Pollution Engineering - February 2009 Contents The Guest Dialog EnviroNews PE Events Legal Lookout Casebook Canada Environmental Management When Cleanup is Rocket Science RemTEC Features A Chile Air Filter Safer Waste Handling Reaps Rewards 2009 Environmental Software Review Some Serious Sliplining Environmental Software Products Biosolids Equipment Classified Marketplace Advertisers Index State Rules

Pollution Engineering - February 2009

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