CHANGE MY LOCATION
Fly ash in dust on Gambrills homes
SEE THE LATEST ON THIS STORY
Related Topics: BALTIMORE
BALTIMORE (Map, News) - A Baltimore environmental group has found fly ash in dust sample collected off of homes in Gambrills.
Environment Maryland conducted the study shortly after Constellation Energy stopped dumping fly ash into two pits near Route 3. All 12 samples contained at least trace amounts of fly ash.
The health effects of the dust are unknown, as another study is needed to link the ash levels, exposure and health factors, officials say.
The ash, which was dumped by Constellation Energy between 1995 and November 2007, has been blamed for contaminating dozens of private water wells around the pits.
Environment Maryland’s study was the first analytical look at airborne fly ash. The study comes after several Gambrills residents complained about excess dust collecting on their cars and houses.
Constellation Energy officials have said no ash is being dumped at the site. The samples were taken about a week after the company claimed to have stopped dumping.
Brad Heavner, director of Environment Maryland, said the Maryland Department of the Environment should make fly ash dumpsite subject to the same air regulations on power plants.
MDE is recommending new regulations on fly ash that would require ash to be wetted at both the power plant and the dump site.
jflanagan@baltimoreexaminer.com
Comments from Examiner Readers
6:09 AM MST on Sat., Aug. 2, 2008 re: "Anne Arundel could extend ban on coal fly ash dumping"
Report as inappropriate
6:44 PM MST on Thu., Dec. 27, 2007
re: "Elevated aluminum levels in Gambrills raise health concerns"
Report as inappropriate
2:21 AM MST on Thu., Dec. 20, 2007
re: "State’s fly-ash crackdown part of national effort"
Report as inappropriate
1:20 PM MST on Tue., Nov. 6, 2007
re: "Fly ash no longer allowed in AA"
Report as inappropriate
Examiner Reader said:
Should children play outside in the surrounding properties from the fly ash dumping grounds ?
1 agree | 1 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
hey smart guy.....can you point out where in the article mercury is mentioned? since you seem to be an expert in everything should only take you a nanosecond.
158 agree | 163 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
The EPA needs a push to get it started every morning.The Administrator has just denied California's request for a waiver to enforce it's own new law limiting pollutants in that State. Mercury is only one of the heavy metals contained in fly-ash.Arsenic and sellenium and cadmium and aluninum all leach out of these unlined waste dumps.These all cause neurologic damage.
159 agree | 142 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree
Examiner Reader said:
Do Constellation Energy and government officials plan to pay for fly ash clean up in Northern AA County?
179 agree | 191 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree