“We’ve heard a lot about contaminated drinking water wells
in this area, but people have not been informed about the ash particles that
are drifting through the air,” said Brad Heavner, state director of Environment
Maryland Research & Policy
Center.
Eastmount Environmental Services, a Massachusetts-based air
quality consulting firm, coordinated the collection and analysis in conjunction
with EMLab P&K. They analyzed twelve dust samples taken from three clusters
of homes around the dump. Fly ash was detected in all twelve samples.
Concentrations of the soot particles containing fly ash
ranged from less than one percent to five percent of the dust.
“The dust results in this study are disturbing because the
samples were taken a month after Constellation’s dumping was temporarily
stopped. It seems like it’s everywhere in the surrounding neighborhoods,” said
Tim Berkoff, of Crofton First, a local community organization. “This issue is
ongoing since more fly ash dumping could occur at this site.”
Fly ash, the residue captured in the smokestacks of
coal-burning power plants, contains heavy metals such as cadmium, thallium and
beryllium. When exposure occurs over long periods of time, these metals can
cause cancer and nervous system disorders.
Constellation Energy has dumped approximately four million
tons of fly ash from its Brandon Shores
and Wagner power plants at BBSS since 1995.
In response to publicity surrounding contamination of drinking
water wells near the site, Constellation has stopped dumping at BBSS and
entered a consent agreement with the Maryland Department of the Environment to clean up the site
and pay a million dollar fine.
Advocates called on the state to include protections against
air pollution in new regulations to ensure future fly ash disposal facilities
do not create as much contamination as the BBSS site in Gambrills. They also
called for the permanent closure of the Gambrills facility.
“For far too long, companies have been using loopholes in
the law to dispose of toxic waste in an irresponsible manner,” said Heavner. “As
MDE moves to correct that, they should truly protect people who live near ash
dumps by including air pollution protections.”
Dust-sample-report.pdf