Re: Re[2]: Radium in water supplies

["Clarence Dittman" <Clarence.Dittman@tdh.state.tx.us>]

Date sent:      	Mon, 10 Aug 1998 14:57:23 -0500 (CDT)
Send reply to:  	radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu
From:           	macdurmong@pt.cyanamid.com
To:             	Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Subject:        	Re[2]: Radium in water supplies

>   The complete article can be found at:
>   
>   http://www.phillynews.com/inquirer/98/AUG/09/front_page/LAND09.htm
>   
>   
>   George MacDurmon

Thanks George,

I have now down loaded the original article.  There is a real problem there, but 
Radium is the least of their problem...Radium gets into the aquifer because of 
pollution from fertilizer... used on residential and agriculture land.  These 
chemicals help move radium deposits into the aquifer.  HEAVY METALS 
poisoning is a grave danger there.  Mercury contamination at unsafe levels is 
also reported in the article.  Depending on the fertilizers used, lead and zinc 
levels may also exceed standards.  The federal officials estimate >50 adults 
may develop fatal cancer over their lifetime due to the radium levels found in the 
New Jersey water.  High levels of Mercury, lead, & zinc are known causes of 
kidney failure and birth defects.  No one seems to make the connection in the 
article that heavy metal poisoning will cause miscarriages. These people are in 
real and present danger from the chemicals pollution.  Kidney failure, birth 
defects, and miscarriages take lives NOW!  Yet the article as condensed for 
California consumption, dwells on the POSSIBLE 50 deaths from cancer due to 
radium over the next 20 to 40 years, and completely ignores the IMMEDIATE 
danger due to heavy metals poisoning.  Anything dealing with radiation or 
nuclear power gets full coverage by the media, to the ignorance of real and 
present chemical hazards.

Personal opinion only.
Clarence W. Dittman, Health Physicist
Radiation Control Program Manager
Texas Department of Health
Public Health Region 7
2408 South 37th Street
Temple, Texas 76504-7168
(254) 778-6744
Fax (254) 778-4066
Clarence.Dittman@tdh.state.tx.us
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