Colorado is mourning the disastrous toxic spill

[niyad]

2. Health impact of Animas River toxic spill: 'This is a real mess' (geeeee, ya think??)

Health impact of Animas River toxic spill: 'This is a real mess'



A sample finds lead level in the Animas River nearly 12,000 times higher than the acceptable level set by the EPA
It usually takes years or even decades for health problems from metals to develop

(CNN)While the mustard-yellow hue of the Animas River is fading, leading toxicologists say there could be health effects for many years to come from heavy metals such as lead and mercury that spilled into the water.

"This is a real mess," said Max Costa, chair of the department of environmental medicine at New York University School of Medicine. "These levels are shocking."Exposure to high levels of these metals can cause an array of health problems from cancer to kidney disease to developmental problems in children.

"Oh my God! Look at the lead!" said Joseph Landolph, a toxicologist at the University of Southern California, pointing to a lead level in the Animas River nearly 12,000 times higher than the acceptable level set by the Environmental Protection Agency.
EPA accidentally spills chemicals into Colorado river


According to sampling done by the EPA on various points along the Animas River Wednesday and Thursday last week, levels of lead, arsenic, beryllium, cadmium and mercury were extremely high compared with acceptable levels set by the agency, which are technically called "maximum contaminant levels" or "action levels for treatment." One of the samples of mercury was nearly 10 times higher than the EPA acceptable levels. Samples of beryllium and cadmium were 33 times higher, and one of the arsenic levels was more than 800 times higher.

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http://www.cnn.com/2015/08/10/us/animas-river-toxic-spill-colorado/index.html