October 15, 2008 09:11 pm
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By Wally Kennedy
wkennedy@joplinglobe.com
The Environmental Task Force of Jasper and Newton Counties on Wednesday recommended changes to a Jasper County ordinance that regulates the presence of cadmium in soil at residential-construction sites.
Acting on information from Tony Moehr, director of the Jasper County Health Department, the task force decided to recommended to the County Commission that a new cleanup protocol be established for cadmium, a heavy metal that can adversely affect human health.
Moehr explained that new evidence has been uncovered that shows cadmium, a naturally occurring metal in the region, might pose more of a problem than first thought at former lead- and zinc-mining sites that are being reclaimed for residential developments.
Moehr said lead and zinc deposited in connection with the mining sites tend to accumulate in the topsoil near the surface. Cadmium usually is not a problem with topsoil. But after the soil containing the lead and zinc is removed, the soil beneath the topsoil often tests high for cadmium.
Mark Doolan, manager of the Jasper County Superfund Site for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, confirmed Moehr’s assessment, saying that cadmium continues to percolate deep into the soil while the lead and zinc stay near the surface.
Doolan said he believes cadmium is a naturally occurring element in the groundwater in this region. Jan Tupper, a retired hydrologist, said he agreed with Doolan’s observation. Both are members of the task force.
The task force is recommending that soil with a cadmium content of 75 to 130 parts per million be capped with clean topsoil. It said soil with a content of 130 to 190 parts per million should be removed or capped with 12 inches of topsoil. For soil with a cadmium content greater than 190 parts per million, the soil should be removed or capped with 18 inches of topsoil, the group said.
Cadmium can accumulate in the kidneys, where it damages filtering mechanisms. Other health effects include damage to the central nervous system, damage to the immune system, psychological disorders, and possibly DNA damage or cancer development.
The task force, originally a creation of the Joplin City Council, elected officers after its membership was reorganized by the county governments in Jasper and Newton counties. The membership has been expanded from seven to 14.
Robert Nichols, of Webb City, was elected president. Jan Blase, city manager at Neosho, was elected vice president. Dan Pekarek, director of the Joplin Health Department, was elected secretary.
The task force is forming an advisory board. Communities in the counties will be asked to nominate local residents to the board.
The task force, which is monitoring the activities of two residents’ groups involved in the watershed management for Spring River and Shoal Creek, voted to seek a small amount of funding from the counties to produce a video on watershed management.
Settlement
Mark Doolan, manager of the Jasper County Superfund Site for the Environmental Protection Agency, reported to the task force that the EPA has reached a settlement with Asarco Mining Co., which once did business in Southwest Missouri. Under the settlement, Jasper County will receive $22 million, and Newton County will receive $11 million. The money will be used for the cleanup of mining sites in both counties.
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