risk and reward
You may remember during Hurricane Frances that Cargill’s Riverview fertilizer plant had some gypsum stacks breached, and the poluted, acidic water ended up in Tampa Bay. Well, Robert C. tells us that Cargill’s plant in Bartow has the same problems during Jeanne. And here’s a bonus, the fish killing company has over 100 “Cargill Cares Councils” across the US, but NONE IN FLORIDA. This too was noticed by Robert at I-4 Jamming.
As Blogwood has told you time and again, the phosphate industry is dangerous to the environment. In fact, since 1967, there have been at least ten make that eleven fish-killing spills in Florida from phosphate/fertilizer companies. The phosphate industry has spilled, killed, and spilled again – for decades. Yet the industry continues to get away with inadequate environmental protections, and receives only small fines or any other sort of punishment. Here is the Florida Phosphate Council:
Some people have expressed concern that our industry might pollute water. But the fact is, discharge permits under which we must operate require that the water we discharge must be clean enough for recreational and environmental purposes, and that it be clean enough to not cause any pollution threat to the public water supply.
Obviously, the permits and regulations are not nearly stringent enough.
It is understood that phosphate mining contributes to the area’s economic well-being. And I’m not advocating shutting them down entirely. But if your industry pollutes natural resources (an even bigger aspect of our local economy), you need to clean it up.
Links: The Phosphate Risk has suggestions on other things the industry could do. Also check out environmentalists Manasota-88 for more information. The Florida Phosphate Council is the mouthpiece for the local industry.
Tags: tampa
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