7,300-sq-mile ring of mercury around tar sands in Canada

[Thinktank]

Researchers find 7,300-sq-mile ring of mercury around tar sands in Canada



Scientists have found a more than 7,300-square-mile ring of land and water contaminated by mercury surrounding the tar sands in Alberta, where energy companies are producing oil and shipping it throughout Canada and the U.S.

Government scientists are preparing to publish a report that found levels of mercury are up to 16 times higher around the tar-sand operations — principally due to the excavation and transportation of bitumen in the sands by oil and gas companies,

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2 ... sands.html

[Atomoa]

Newsflash - science is a economic terrorist looking to destroy Canadian jobs.

Be warned.

[twobits]

16 times higher than what? Still well under what is considered dangerous. News flash, mercury is around us everywhere in it's natural state. One broken CFL bulb in your home would exceed mercury level contamination by magnitudes compared to what they are talking about here with the oil sands. Are you going to tear down your house or move out if you break a bulb? Considering the effects of mercury contamination, I think posters that use this kind of blatant fear mongering have broken more than a few CFL's in their homes.

For perspective.....

If not cleaned up, the bulb with the largest initial store of mercury (13 watt model) could have spewed 1 milligram of the toxic metal into a room's air within 25 days; another could have reached that level within about 40 days. Li and Jin cited data by others indicating that the release of 1 milligram of mercury vapor into a 500 cubic meter room can yield air concentrations 10 times the current recommended limit for a child. Breaking a CFL can thus cause potentially toxic levels of pollution to develop, Li and Jin conclude.

[averagejoe]

Why is this in the Conspiracy section? The story is in the Vancouver Sun????

Mercury levels rising in expanse around Alberta oilsands


Mercury wafting out of oilsands operations is impacting an area – or “bull’s-eye” — that extends for about 19,000 square kilometres in northeast Alberta, according to federal scientists.

Levels of the potent neurotoxin found near the massive industrial operation have been found to be up to 16 times higher than “background” levels for the region, says Environment Canada researcher Jane Kirk, who recently reported the findings at an international toxicology conference.


http://www.vancouversun.com/business/Me ... story.html

[sanfish]

16 times higher than what? Still well under what is considered dangerous. News flash, mercury is around us everywhere in it's natural state. One broken CFL bulb in your home would exceed mercury level contamination by magnitudes compared to what they are talking about here with the oil sands. Are you going to tear down your house or move out if you break a bulb? Considering the effects of mercury contamination, I think posters that use this kind of blatant fear mongering have broken more than a few CFL's in their homes.

For perspective.....

If not cleaned up, the bulb with the largest initial store of mercury (13 watt model) could have spewed 1 milligram of the toxic metal into a room's air within 25 days; another could have reached that level within about 40 days. Li and Jin cited data by others indicating that the release of 1 milligram of mercury vapor into a 500 cubic meter room can yield air concentrations 10 times the current recommended limit for a child. Breaking a CFL can thus cause potentially toxic levels of pollution to develop, Li and Jin conclude.

So to recap, your position is that because we are exposed to other contaminants through "greener" technologies that have been thrust upon us, we shouldn't be concerned about larger amounts of contaminants that are a side effect of us ignoring actual greener technologies?

[maryjane48]

So to recap, your position is that because we are exposed to other contaminants through "greener" technologies that have been thrust upon us, we shouldn't be concerned about larger amounts of contaminants that are a side effect of us ignoring actual greener technologies?

two bits is typa person that would say a nuclear melt down is really just a bad day at the office nothing see here :P