Category Archive: Toxic Contamination

May 18

Crayons and Clean Water

The colorful side of water remediation. In Pennsylvania, abandoned coal mines have left a dirty legacy… thousands of miles of streams polluted by acid mine drainage. Wetlands can be used to treat the water. But in the process, they accumulate a lot of metal sludge that has to be removed – often at great expense. …

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Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/toxic-contamination/crayons-and-clean-water/

May 01

Reducing Water Pollution One Field at a Time

Reducing runoff – one field at a time . . . Learn more: To keep agricultural runoff from polluting waterways, farmers can plant cover crops and use no-till farming. It used to be difficult and expensive to figure out which fields need these approaches the most. But Jon Winsten of the non-profit Winrock International says now …

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Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/agricultural-runoff/reducing-water-pollution-one-field-at-a-time/

Apr 23

Hard to Tell the Good Guys From the Bad

There are thousands of different types of blue-green algae, and only a few produce harmful toxins. Tell your friends to listen to this: Blue green algae aren’t all bad. After all, there are about 6,000 different species… Boyer: And there are probably only a hundred or so that are known to make toxins that would …

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Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/toxic-contamination/hard-to-tell-the-good-guys-from-the-bad/

Apr 02

Abandoned coal mines leave an enduring water legacy

When coal is mined in Pennsylvania, other minerals and metals including iron sulfide and aluminum are exposed and left behind. They’re typically harmless as long as they stay dry, but… Ryan: “As you get more precipitation, your water table increases. If you have too much groundwater it can fill up voids in underground coal mines …

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Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/stormwater-management/abandoned-coal-mines-leave-an-enduring-water-legacy/

Mar 31

Take me home, country roads

Driving on dirt roads kicks up dust that can make it hard to see and cause respiratory problems for people who live nearby. In some areas, a wastewater mix from oil and gas production is sprayed on dirt and gravel roads to suppress the dust. The wastewater is usually free. But it contains radium, which …

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Permanent link to this article: http://www.currentcast.org/toxic-contamination/take-me-home-country-roads/

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