FWer's The posting about the world not making it through the 21st Century led me to forward this. In public health, this is the type of stuff we run into all of the time. This happens, unreported, around the world hundreds of times a month. We have even had our own fun here in Tampa in the last two years http://www.sptimes.com/News/112201/State/DEP_let_phosphate_was.shtml plus the potential of a repeat performance in the last month
Bill Ward --------- Forwarded message ---------- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Date: Thu, 3 Apr 2003 20:01:10 -0500 (EST) Subject: PRO/AH/EDR> Toxic spill - Brazil (Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro) TOXIC SPILL - BRAZIL (MINAS GERAIS, RIO DE JANEIRO) **************************************** A ProMED-mail post <http://www.promedmail.org> ProMED-mail, a program of the International Society for Infectious Diseases http://www.isid.org Date: 2 Apr 2003 From: Pablo Nart <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Source: BBC news, Wed 2 April 2003 [edited] <http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/low/world/americas/2909355.stm> An environmental emergency has been declared in towns in 2 Brazilian states after a chemicals reservoir burst and contaminated 2 rivers. The spillage occurred at a wood pulping factory at Cataguazes in Minas Gerais state, and much of the toxic waste is running into neighboring Rio de Janeiro state. About 1.5 billion liters (396 million gallons) of caustic soda flowed into the Paraiba do Sul and Pomba rivers, according to the Rio de Janeiro State government website -- although other reports have estimated the spill at 20 million liters (5.28 million gallons). People living near the rivers have been warned not to drink or bathe in river water, amid reports that 100 animals on the river banks have already died, along with hundreds of fish. One Brazilian newspaper warned the environment could take 10 years to recover. The spillage occurred over the weekend and by Tuesday authorities were scrambling resources to deal with the problem. Oil workers from the federal oil company, Petrobras, were called in to help contain the spill, Ellen Alves of the Minas Gerais state environmental authority said. She said local governments have been drilling wells and sending water trucks into the affected areas. The spill was also affecting water supplies to the north of Rio de Janeiro state. On Tuesday, the company responsible was fined an immediate 50 million Reals (US $15 million) while a technical report assessing the applicable fine was prepared. There are fears of a further spill, another Brazilian paper reported. The Folha de Sao Paulo said the same company owned another chemicals reservoir built to the same dimensions, also containing caustic soda. It quoted Mauro Costa, president of the state water utility company Copasa, as warning heavy rainfall could prompt another collapse. Environment Minister Marina da Silva -- herself previously an Amazon Forest rubber-tapper and champion of environmental causes -- warned that Brazil's new government would not tolerate lax environmental standards. "This is a crime that can in no way go unpunished," she said. -- ProMED-mail <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [High concentrations of caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) will have an odor and may produce a burning sensation in the nose, mouth, and throat if swallowed, and on the skin. If the concentrations are that high, the people would be able to smell it and should not drink or bathe in it. Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) (also lye, caustic soda, white caustic, soda lye) is derived from the electrolysis of sea water as a co-product of chlorine. It is a strong, caustic substance and causes severe corrosive damage to eyes, skin, and mucous membranes, as well as the mouth, throat, esophagus, and stomach. Injury can be immediate. Blindness is reported in animals exposed to as little as 2 percent dilution for just one minute. Skin is typically damaged by exposure to 0.12 percent dilutions for a period of one hour. - Mod.TG] [see also: Fish die-off - Honduras (Pacific Coast) 20010115.0119] ..................................tg/pg/jw *##########################################################* ProMED-mail makes every effort to verify the reports that are posted, but the accuracy and completeness of the information, and of any statements or opinions based thereon, are not guaranteed. The reader assumes all risks in using information posted or archived by ProMED-mail. ISID and its associated service providers shall not be held responsible for errors or omissions or held liable for any damages incurred as a result of use or reliance upon posted or archived material. ************************************************************ Visit ProMED-mail's web site at <http://www.promedmail.org>. Send all items for posting to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (NOT to an individual moderator). If you do not give your full name and affiliation, it may not be posted. Send commands to subscribe/unsubscribe, get archives, help, etc. to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For assistance from a human being send mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ############################################################ ############################################################ ________________________________________________________________ Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today Only $9.95 per month! Visit www.juno.com _______________________________________________ Futurework mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://scribe.uwaterloo.ca/mailman/listinfo/futurework
