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Lead Contamination in the Belledune Area: Past and Present

Lead Contamination in the Belledune Area: Past and Present. Prepared by Inka Milewski Conservation Council of New Brunswick October 2003. Why look at lead contamination now?. The impacts of lead on human health, particularly children, are very well known

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Lead Contamination in the Belledune Area: Past and Present

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  1. Lead Contamination in the Belledune Area:Past and Present Prepared by Inka Milewski Conservation Council of New Brunswick October 2003

  2. Why look at lead contamination now? • The impacts of lead on human health, particularly children, are very well known • Lead, cadmium, arsenic and zinc contamination in the Belledune area is well-known – 2.7 million pounds of lead alone have been released into the air between 1974 and 2002 • The extent of lead and other metal contamination in Belledune and its impact on local residents is not well known • Health and environmental impacts of existing industries should be known before any new industrial pollutants are released

  3. History of Lead Air Emissions from the Belledune Smelter (1975-2002)1 Lead and other metals have also been discharged into local waters from the smelter waste water treatment plant Total lead air emissions 2.7 million pounds 1All data for this presentation was collected by Noranda and submitted to Department of Environment and Local Government.

  4. Lead Levels in Soils in the Belledune Area 2002 Canadian Council of Environment Ministers (CCME) Environmental Quality Guidelines Lead Agricultural 70 mg/kg Residential 140 Industrial 600

  5. Less than 50 mg/kg 100 – 500 mg/kg 500 – 1000 mg/kg 1000 – 2000 mg/kg Over 2000 mg/kg Lead levels in soils (2002)

  6. Lead levels in soil samples(collected 1 km west of the smelter)1975 - 2002 1CCME Environmental Quality Guidelines Industrial sites 600 mg/kg mg/kg dry weight 1Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (2002)

  7. Lead Levels in Soil Samples(collected at Chalmer’s - 2.4 km southeast of the smelter) 1975-2002 CCME Environmental Quality Guidelines Agricultural 70 mg/kg Residential sites 140 mg/kg 11966 background levels: average 17.5 mg/kg mg/kg dry weight 1Boyle et al. (1966) Geochemistry of Pb, Zn, Cu, As, Sb, Mo, Sn, W, Ag, Ni, Co, Cr, Ba, and Mn in the waters and stream sediments of the Bathurst-Jacquet River District, New Brunswick

  8. Lead levels in soil samples(collected at Smearer’s Shore - 3.2 km southeast of smelter) 1985-2002 CCME Environmental Quality Guidelines Agricultural guidelines 70 mg/kg Residential guidelines 140 mg/kg 1966 background levels 17.5 mg/kg mg/kg (parts per million) dry weight

  9. Lead Levels in Soil Samples(collected 7.1 km southeast in Pointe-Verte) 1975-2002 CCME Environmental Quality Guidelines Agricultural guidelines 70 mg/kg Residential guidelines 140 mg/kg 1966 background levels 17.5 mg.kg

  10. How does lead move from the air, soil and water to wildlife and humans? • Lead binds to dust, soil and dirt which can be inhaled or ingested, particularly by children who have a lot of hand-to-mouth activity (adults will absorb 10% of metals while children will absorb 50%) • Through the food chain – for example, produce or grasses grown in contaminated soil can take up lead; contaminated grasses could be eaten by wildlife which in turn can be eaten by humans • Freshwater and marine life can also be route of exposure to lead contamination

  11. Lead Levels in First Growth Forage (Grasses) in the Belledune area 2002 U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Standard for Forage Crops is 0.2 mg/kg

  12. Less than 0.2 mg/kg 0.2 – 1.0 mg/kg 1.0 – 10 mg/kg 10 – 100 mg/kg Over 100 mg/kg Lead levels in grasses (2002)

  13. Lead Concentrations in First Growth Forage (Grasses) (Samples collected 0.2 km west of the smelter) 1973-2002 0.2 mg/kg maximum level set by International Standards1 1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

  14. Lead Concentrations in First Growth Forage (Grasses) (Samples collected at Smearers’ Shore - 3.2 km sourtheast of the smelter)1973-2002 0.2 mg/kg maximum level set by International Standards1 1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

  15. Lead Concentrations in First Growth Forage (Grasses) (Samples collected 7.1 km southeast in Pointe-Verte)1973-2002 0.2 mg/kg maximum level set by International Standards1 1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

  16. Lead Concentrations in Vegetables collected in Belledune 2002

  17. Lead Concentrations in Vegetables(collected 1.9 km southeast of smelter)1973-2003 FAO/WHO Standards1 0.1 mg/kg for carrots, potatoes and lettuce 0.2 mg/kg for beans 1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

  18. Lead Concentrations in Vegetables(collected 7.1 km east southeast of smelter)1974-1994 FAO/WHO Standards1 0.1 mg/kg for carrots, potatoes and lettuce 0.2 mg/kg for beans 1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

  19. Lead Concentrations in Vegetables(collected 15 km west northwest of smelter)1973-2003 FAO/WHO Standards1 0.1 mg/kg for carrots, potatoes and lettuce 0.2 mg/kg for beans 1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

  20. Lead Concentrations in Wild Mussels Collected in the Belledune Area 2002 United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) National Guidelines For Shellfish Lead Level of Concern for pregnant women 1.7 mg/kg

  21. Less than 0.5 mg/kg 0.5 – 1.0 mg/kg 1.0 – 5 mg/kg 5 – 10 mg/kg Over 10 mg/kg Lead levels in Mussels (2002)

  22. Lead Concentrations in Wild Mussels(collected at Culligan’s, 4 km west of smelter)1981-2002 0.75 mg/kg - lead concentration in wild mussels from N.B. Bay of Fundy1 US FDA Level of Concern for pregnant women 1.7 mg/kg 1 Chase et al. (1998) Gulfwatch (Gulf of Maine mussel monitoring program ) Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment

  23. Lead Concentrations in Wild Mussels(collected at Chalmers, 2 km east of smelter)1988-2002 0.75 mg/kg - lead concentration in wild mussels from N.B. Bay of Fundy1 US FDA Level of Concern for pregnant women 1.7 mg/kg

  24. Lead Concentrations in Wild Mussels(collected at Park Road, 5 km east of smelter)1981-2002 0.75 mg/kg - lead concentration in wild mussels from N.B. Bay of Fundy1 US FDA Level of Concern for pregnant women 1.7 mg/kg

  25. Lead Concentrations in Wild Mussels(collected 7 km east of smelter)1988-2002 0.75 mg/kg - lead concentration in wild mussels from N.B. Bay of Fundy1 US FDA Level of Concern for pregnant women 1.7 mg/kg

  26. Cadmium Levels in Lobsters from the Belledune area 2002 United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) National Guidelines For Shellfish Cadmium 3.7 mg/kg - Level of Concern

  27. Cadmium levels in uncooked digestive gland of lobsters 1981-2002

  28. Cadmium levels in uncooked digestive gland of lobsters 1981-2002

  29. Cadmium levels in uncooked digestive gland of lobsters 1981-2002 Yarmouth (Outer Bay of Fundy) 5.1 mg/kg

  30. Summary • There are year to year inconsistency in the data which raise questions about the reliability of the results • Soils, grasses and vegetables have high lead levels; lead in mussels are also high relative to other areas in New Brunswick • The size of the area impacted by lead pollution has not been clearly defined • By all national and international standards, lead contamination is a serious problem in the Belledune area • The past, present and future impact of lead contamination on the environment, humans and wildlife in the Belledune area have not been examined

  31. What needs to be done? • Independent monitoring of soils, vegetation, garden produce, drinking water and shellfish to verify and determine extent of contamination • Independent blood lead screening for children to determine the risks of learning disabilities and health disorders (Health Canada suggests “routine blood lead testing” in areas where there are “ongoing problems of soil contamination from a smelter”) • Independent community health study to assess the incidence of health effects known to be associated with exposure to lead, as well as cadmium and arsenic • A clean-up plan and timetable for removing contaminated soil

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