So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish: Methyl Mercury in Utah & the Great Salt Lake

[maikeru]

I've been aware of this for some time now, but it has popped up again on the news within the last few months: widespread and persistent methyl mercury found in water sources here in the state of Utah. The Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake, and many reservoirs like Jordanelle are also affected by it. Sometimes, I wish people would wake up and pay attention that we're poisoning ourselves to death. There are advisories for women and children not to eat certain types of seafood or oceanic fish like swordfish, shark, etc. because of methyl mercury. It's really sad that now contamination is getting worse and worse in freshwater fishes and organisms, not to mention ourselves. I stopped fishing for trout and catfish years ago, when I became aware that they weren't healthy to eat, because of possible PCBs and mercury contamination. Seems I might have made a wise choice.

ksl.com - Utah issues mercury advisories for 6 fishing spots
Great Salt Lake laden with toxic mercury - Environment - MSNBC.com

It seems the primary source of contamination is air pollution from coal-fired power plants. Burning coal releases mercury and any other contaminants trapped within, and when it rains or snows, the contaminants fall back to the earth, collect, and are concentrated and changed into forms that work their way into the food chain...and people. Utah has plans for several new coal-fired power plants to provide cheap and affordable electricity for its rapidly expanding population. The state's population is listed around 2.6 to 2.7 million, but I believe it's real numbers are at about 3 million people and fast growing. It is expected to reach 5-6 million people within another 10-15 years, although we could hit this faster than we know, given the state's high birthrate and beliefs. For the last 3 years we've been rated consistently the worst in the nation for air quality during the winter months, and warned by the EPA to clean our nasty air up. It often exceeds the EPA's standards even when we're not the worst in the nation.

ksl.com - EPA says Utah's air quality violates federal standards

Note that grey soupy stuff in the air in the picture in the KSL link. That's what I wake up to almost every morning and see throughout the day. Summer, winter--doesn't make a difference.

We're slowly killing ourselves.

Methyl mercury and excessive air pollution are problems for all peoples and all the environment, everything, every living thing, big and small.

[Michaelangelica]

Yes we can no longer fish in Sydney Harbour due to Dow's (Union Carbide's) pollution of the harbour from a harbourside factory producing agent orange

I am amazed the government hasn't sued them. They have just quietly swept it undwer the rug. Probably big political doners.