The Peoples Plan (Proposal questions)

[Solus Hospes]

This was an e-mail I received on the general e-mail, comments welcome and requested please:

Good morning my dears,

What do you all think about this? Take it out of our proposal?

~Kristen
________________________________________
Sent: 12/14/2011 9:39:17 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
Subj: Re: Environment "Expectations"

Chromium six

Chromuium-6 (hexavalent chromium) seems to be a problem with only two cities in Florida—Tallahassee and Miami, and only minimally in Miami—so while it might be appropriate for Occupy Tallahassee and/or Miami to investigate, the issue seems unsuited as a statewide demand.

Further, it seems that since the Environmental Working Group released the information, state and federal officials have begun an investigation. (EWG report: www.ewg.org/chromium6-in-tap-water)

From the EWG site: ”Within 72 hours of the release of this report, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced new actions to detect chromium-6 contamination in the nation’s drinking water.”

Please note that Cr-6 is listed as a probable carcinogen—despite claims by some groups, apparently there is no definitive understanding that it is a carcinogen when ingested in water. It is undeniably toxic, as are all heavy metals.

This is an excerpt from the EWG report:

“Despite mounting evidence of the contaminant’s toxic effects, including a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) draft toxicological review that classifies it as “likely to be carcinogenic to humans” when consumed in drinking water, the agency has not set a legal limit for chromium-6 in tap water and does not require water utilities to test for it. Hexavalent chromium is commonly discharged from steel and pulp mills as well as metal-plating and leather-tanning facilities. It can also pollute water through erosion of soil and rock.”

“Since 1990, international health authorities have identified it as a known human carcinogen when inhaled (IARC 1990), and a growing body of evidence has linked hexavalent chromium in drinking water to stomach and gastrointestinal cancers.”

Chromium-6 is undoubtedly a very nasty form of the metal, and should be regulated. However, since this now seems likely to happen, and more important, since this is a subtopic under water quality in general, I would advise against it being given its own heading on our list of demands.

I would suggest anyone interested in the issue read the report, sign the petition on the EGW website, and take such further action as seems reasonable to encourage the EPA to set strict Cr-6 limits in drinking water. I do not suggest that the entire occupy Florida take this nationwide issue as its own.

www.ewg.org.
www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/112216094.html
www.inspiredwater.org/2010/12/chromium-6-found-in-tap-water-of-31-us-cities/
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/18/AR2010121802810.html?sid=ST2010122005141

[Solus Hospes]

Me personally, contaminated water with carcinogens(Or toxins in any case since they can’t agree on the cancer causing) is state-wide problem even if it’s centralized in two cities. Reason being… How many gallons or bottles of water have crossed city lines when friends and families or fellow occupiers visit one another? How many plants from nurseries have used contaminated water and now sold those plants across city lines contaminating soil in other places? Additionally, we can keep this in our proposal and elaborate on it to help find ways to prevent this sort of thing in other cities. My two cents.

[Mireille]

I agree with you. In general, I think you can't localize any environmental issues. There really aren't any that can be contained - if it affects one area, it can spread and affect other areas easily.