EPA approves pilot project to make road out of radioactive material in Florida
Source: The Hill
12/23/24 5:11 PM ET
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved a pilot project that would allow a company to build a small road made out of a radioactive fertilizer byproduct drawing environmentalist ire.
The Biden administrations approval allows Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC to construct a road made of phosphogypsum on its property in New Wales, Fla. Phosphogypsum contains radium, which decays to form radon gas, both of which are radioactive and can cause cancer, according to the agency.
In the past, the agency has raised concerns about the use of this material in road building. It said in 1992 that use of phosphogypsum in road construction created risks for both construction workers and also anyone who later builds a home where the phosphogypsum road had once been.
The agency now says that members of the public are not expected to come into contact with the road. However, Mosaic, which will build the road, has described the effort as part of a pilot project that will demonstrate the range of
road construction designs. Its not clear if additional road construction will follow though doing so would likely require further approvals.
Read more: https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5054335-epa-approves-phosphogypsum-road-florida/
Link to Federal Register PUBLICATION - Notice of Approval for Other Use of Phosphogypsum
LetsGetSmartAboutIt
(38 posts)So everyone can have a healthy glow.
Maybe even the street that the factory owner lives on, just to show how safe it is.
Just to be clear, that is sarcasm.
rampartd
(849 posts)here is a radioactive dump site in my city .....
https://www.nola.com/news/environment/in-gert-town-area-e-t--style-radiation-removal-spawns-confusion-tinged-by-pollution/article_e622d82a-aa3b-11e9-98ba-b3762290fc5e.html
corporate america has caused so much injury and disease they OWE us healthcare.
rampartd
(849 posts)and the alligators and such near the road can't possibly mutate?
https://www.thoughtco.com/chernobyl-animal-mutations-4155348
2naSalit
(93,400 posts)To use it in school playgrounds like they did in Idaho, the child cancer rate got really high for a while after that.
maxsolomon
(35,358 posts)I can't find anything online about that. I see Idaho has phosphogypsum mining, though.
2naSalit
(93,400 posts)And they don't like to talk about that. They were using slag from the mines for roads and playground pavements back in the 70s - 80s and was identified as a problem in the early to mid 90s. Wasn't just child cancer rates. It was swept under the rug pretty quickly as will happen in a place where the church controls everything.
no_hypocrisy
(49,181 posts)And eventually, the radioactive material will reach the water aquifers below. It will affect both humans and wildlife and horticulture.
I can't believe the EPA gave this a pass.
djacq
(1,677 posts)Bengus81
(7,487 posts)Hoping he can keep his job when Trump comes back in? Hey asshat,you go work on a road project with that crap.
Jose Garcia
(2,915 posts)BumRushDaShow
(144,158 posts)announced he was leaving on Dec. 31st. - https://www.democraticunderground.com/10143359932
Response to Bengus81 (Reply #7)
Chin music This message was self-deleted by its author.
Clouds Passing
(2,695 posts)Cherokee100
(326 posts)This a joke, right? That stuff never goes away/becomes safe. Wait what was I thinking, someone is making a fortune, off this I bet. That makes it ok then. '''sarcasm''.
NotHardly
(1,363 posts)maxsolomon
(35,358 posts)However, Mosaic, which will build the road, has described the effort as part of a pilot project that will demonstrate the range of road construction designs. Its not clear if additional road construction will follow though doing so would likely require further approvals.
This report does a really bad job of explaining what's going on here. But it's the Hill, so par for the course.
I'd guess they're trying to find a use for phosphogypsum as a concrete additive.
BumRushDaShow
(144,158 posts)That link has some more info.
"The Hill", like "Politico", "Roll Call", and some other publications focus on "politics" stories only instead of trying to insert and pad their "news" sites with entertainment - meaning not finding every angle possible to write about Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
maxsolomon
(35,358 posts)There are hills ( AKA "stacks" ) of phosphogypsum piled up all over the nation, so I think Mosaic's trying to figure out some other way to deal with the waste stream.
It's research. Research is OK with me.