Mercury, water, intersex - Appalachian Center for the Economy & the Environment

Mercury
Recent government studies show that West Virginia streams are dangerously contaminated by mercury. Fish from these streams contain toxic levels of mercury that can harm those who eat them. The threat to human health from the consumption of mercury-contaminated fish is much higher than previously thought and is especially damaging to fetuses. EPA now calculates that twice as many people, one-sixth of all women of childbearing age in the U.S., carry blood mercury levels that threaten the health of the unborn. Children exposed to even low levels of mercury before birth can experience catastrophic neurological and developmental impairments, permanent IQ loss and numerous other serious diseases. EPA estimates between 300,000 and 600,000 children each year are exposed in the womb to mercury levels high enough to pose risks of lowered IQ and other problems.

A recent study conducted by the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine found that the loss of intelligence resulting from mercury exposure causes diminished economic productivity that persists over the entire lifetimes of these children. Lost productivity in the U.S. amounts to $8.7 billion annually. While the exact number of children poisoned by mercury in West Virginia is unknown, the legacy of mercury pollution will certainly dim our future for years to come.

Chlor-Alkali Plant in New Martinsville
PPG's Natrium chlor-alkali plant is the largest source of mercury pollution in West Virginia. The plant is one of only eight in the entire U.S. that still use an outdated mercury-based technology from the 1800's to produce chlorine and other chemicals. We appealed PPG's water pollution discharge permit for the Natrium plant and recently scored a major victory when the appeals board decided in our favor. (For details, see http://www.appalachian-center.org/media/2006/08_15.pdf.)

The board's order requires PPG's immediate compliance with stringent discharge limits for mercury and the use of sensitive testing methods. We believe these very stringent discharge limits are so tight that PPG will be forced to terminate its use of mercury at the Natrium plant, thereby eliminating a major source of mercury pollution to the region. In addition, this precedent-setting decision means that more sensitive testing procedures will now be required by DEP for mercury discharges throughout the state.

PPG, however, appealed the board's decision to the Circuit Court. Recently, without any explanation, the judge to whom the case was assigned unexpectedly and inexplicably stayed the board's order pending the Circuit Court hearing, which has not yet been scheduled.

In the meantime, the original compliance date, July 2007, for stringent mercury limits will require PPG to either comply with the limits or apply for a mixing zone for mercury in the Ohio River in the next few months. The Center will monitor the situation and if WVDEP moves to approve a mercury mixing zone we intend to appeal their decision.

Fish Abnormalities in the Potomac
In the past three years, male fish producing eggs (a condition called "intersex") have been found in widespread areas of West Virginia's Potomac Headwaters. The geographical extent of this problem is unknown - thus far, data show the problem exists in a four-county area of West Virginia and more intersex fish were recently found 160 miles further downstream, a mere 60 miles from the D.C. metropolitan area.

Intersex is caused by endocrine disrupting substances polluting our waterways. These powerful contaminants are now under close public scrutiny, not only because of their serious impacts on aquatic ecosystems -- often impairing sexual function and weakening immune systems -- but also because of their potential adverse effects on human health. Recent data from West Virginia's Cancer Registry indicate a potential link between intersex and some cancers in residents of the Potomac Headwaters area.

USGS, the federal government's scientific arm, has been collaborating with WVDEP, WVDNR, the WV Department of Agriculture, and EPA on research to determine the source of the problem. Already, political shenanigans are bubbling to the surface as early press releases by WVDEP have broken the past policies of both state and federal governments not to broadly disseminate early and potentially misleading preliminary data.

The Center will continue to focus on the intersex problem and take steps to counter political moves made by the various agencies involved in this investigation.

The Center has worked with a coalition of Potomac activists to post information throughout the Potomac Headwaters of West Virginia to enhance the reporting of both fish kills and fish with sores. Click here to see the poster. We have also join with our partners to initiate the Potomac Watch Campaign dedicated to bringing more attention to the fish kills and intersex problems in the Upper Potomac Basin. For more information see www.potomacwaterwatch.org

Coal mining has left a legacy of pollution in central Appalachia. Acid mine drainage destroys aquatic life and makes water unfit for human consumption and many industrial uses. Tremendous amounts of iron cause streams to run red. In West Virginia alone over 500 streams are impaired by acid mine drainage.