Old Chlorine Plants Lose Track of Mercury

The Environmental Protection Agency is accused of ignoring the disappearance each year of tons of mercury at several processing plants. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham reports:

Transcript

The Environmental Protection agency is accused of ignoring the disappearance each year of tons
of mercury at several processing plants. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham
reports:


The plants make chlorine. Part of the process at these older plants involves putting an electric
current through big vats of mercury. Every year the plants buy tons more mercury, but don’t
report that it escapes as emissions. Three environmental groups have sued the EPA, saying the
agency isn’t protecting the public’s health when it allows that much mercury to just disappear.


Jim Pew is a lawyer with one of the groups, Earthjustice.


“The very simple question that came up is, ‘Gosh, where is all this mercury going?'”


“And nobody seems to be able to answer that?”


“No. The Environmental Protection Agency gave it a little bit of thought and then declared that –
and this is a quote, “…somewhat of an enigma.”


Mercury can cause neurological damage to humans. Fetuses and young children are especially at
risk. The environmental organizations want the EPA to find out what happens to all that mercury
and require the older plants to modernize to a process that doesn’t need mercury to make
chlorine.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.

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Ban Proposed on Live Carp Imports

Another major piece is about to fall into place in the battle to contain the Asian Carp from spreading into the Great Lakes. Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources is set to slap a ban on importing the invasive carp. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Dan Karpenchuk reports:

Transcript

Another major piece is about to fall into place in the battle to contain the Asian Carp from
spreading into the Great Lakes. Ontario’s ministry of natural resources is set to slap a ban on
importing the invasive carp. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Dan Karpenchuk reports:


Toronto has a large appetite for the Asian carp. They’re imported to fish markets here live, so
they can be cooked fresh. But David Ramsay, Ontario’s minister of natural resources, says that’s
going to stop. He says he doesn’t know when the ban will go into effect. But it could be only
weeks that people will be able to enjoy their fresh carp.


The carp can grow up to eight feet in length, weigh more than one hundred pounds and consume
huge amounts of food….and they have no natural predators. Experts have warned that the Asian
carp could eat its way through the Great Lakes ecosystem.


Ramsay says the previous Ontario government did nothing about this invasive species, but he
says this government won’t wait.


“I’m very concerned about the invasive carp. We found one at the mouth of the Don River in
December. There’s a danger here, or a potential danger if these species of fish that are imported
into this country ever got loose in the Great Lakes, it could really put our Great Lakes ecosystem
in grave danger.”


This isn’t the first Asian carp to surface here. In the past two years one was found in Lake Erie,
and another in a fountain in downtown Toronto.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium I’m Dan Karpenchuk.

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International Treaty to Combat Invasive Species?

  • The current range of the invasive zebra mussel. The mussel was first spotted in the Great Lakes in 1988 after being dumped overboard by a foreign ship. It has since spread throughout much of the United States.

Cargo ships bring goods that we buy, but they also bring invasive critters in their ballast water. These invaders compete with native species and upset the natural balance. Now, delegates from around the world have drawn up a plan to help stop the spread of these foreign stowaways. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Mark Brush has more:

Transcript

Cargo ships bring goods that we buy. But they also bring invasive critters in their ballast water.
These invaders compete with native species and upset the natural balance. Now, delegates from
around the world have drawn up a plan to help stop the spread of these foreign stowaways. The
Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Mark Brush has more:


Ships need ballast water to keep them upright when sailing open waters. But often that ballast
water contains foreign species.


The international plan aims to implement guidelines that would clean up the ballast water. The
delegates will now try to get their countries to sign onto the plan.


It will be ratified when 30 countries representing 35% of the cargo shipped sign onto it.


Dennis Schornack is the U.S. Chair of the International Joint Commission. The Commission
monitors the health of the Great Lakes. He says the U.S. can’t wait for ratification and needs to
pass it’s own law now.


“I mean we’re having a new species discovered on the average of one every eight months. And if
the convention goes along an ordinary schedule of ratification it could be up to ten years to fifteen
years before it’s effective worldwide. So, we can’t wait that long.”


Schornack is hoping the international plan will give Congress the framework it needs to pass its
own law this year.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Mark Brush.

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Ethanol Fuel Cells a Viable Alternative?

Hydrogen fuel cells may be the energy of the future, but so far the hydrogen to power them has only been made from fossil fuels. Now, researchers at the University of Minnesota have come up with a way to make hydrogen from a renewable fuel – ethanol, made from corn. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Stephanie Hemphill reports:

Transcript

Hydrogen fuel cells may be the energy of the future, but so far the hydrogen to power them has
only been made from fossil fuels. Now, researchers at the University of Minnesota have come up
with a way to make hydrogen from a renewable fuel – ethanol, made from corn. The Great Lakes
Radio Consortium’s Stephanie Hemphill reports:


Researchers published their findings in a recent issue of Science magazine.


Lanny Schmidt is a chemical engineer at the University of Minnesota. He says his team has
created a simple system. A fuel injector forces ethanol through a catalyst. The catalyst then
converts the ethanol into hydrogen and carbon dioxide.


Schmidt says because ethanol is made from corn, it doesn’t contribute to the greenhouse effect.


“We’re now just using that ethanol as a gasoline additive. What we’re proposing here is to use
this ethanol as a transportable liquid fuel to use in fuel cells, which have two or three times the
efficiency of simple combustion.”


Schmidt says early applications could include producing electricity at remote locations like
cabins.


He’s applied for a patent, and hopes a private company will commercialize the technology.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Stephanie Hemphill.

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Poultry Farmers Protect Flocks From Avian Flu

Poultry farmers in the Midwest are taking extra precautions after the discovery of avian flu among chickens in Pennsylvania and Delaware, but there are some things the industry can’t control, as the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Tracy Samilton reports:

Transcript

Poultry farmers in the Midwest are taking extra precautions after the discovery of avian flu
among chickens in Pennsylvania and Delaware. But there are some things the industry can’t
control, as the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Tracy Samilton reports:


Most commercial poultry farmers practice state-of-the-art biosecurity because of what’s at stake.
Some avian flu is relatively harmless, but if a lethal variety breaks out, the farmer’s entire flock
has to be destroyed. So birds are isolated from contact with visitors and delivery trucks, and
workers frequently change clothes and disinfect their shoes.


Paul Wiley is with Michigan State University’s agricultural extension service. He says
that’s not the case with city émigrés to the country who raise chickens as a hobby.


“The first thing they want to have is two horses, the second thing they want is some kind of flock
of poultry, and they are clueless about poultry!”


Wiley says more backyard flocks could threaten the health of the large commercial flocks. Still,
he says the situation is not nearly as bad as in some Asian countries. There, birds are sold live at
markets, which brings them into frequent contact with people, other birds and wild animals.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Tracy Samilton.

Keeping Tabs on Eagles Infected With West Nile

  • Crows are not the only birds affected by West Nile virus. Some Bald Eagles have come down with the virus as well. (Photo courtesy of the USFWS)

A wild bird sanctuary is using high-tech tracking devices to keep track of bald eagles recovering from West Nile virus. There’s no medicinal cure for the disease. But volunteers have nursed some bald eagles back to health. They’ve recently released a few of the birds and are watching to see if the disease affects their long term behavior. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Patty Murray has more:

Transcript

A wild bird sanctuary is using high-tech tracking devices to keep track of
bald eagles recovering from West Nile Virus. There’s no medicinal cure for
the disease. But volunteers have nursed some bald eagles back to health. They’ve recently
released a few of the birds and are watching to see if the disease affects their long term behavior.
The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Patty Murray has more:


Marge Gibson is crunching through the snow on the grounds of the Raptor Education Group
Incorporated. Several big brown buildings stand stark against the gray Wisconsin winter. They
make up a hospital campus for injured or sick raptors.


(bird chirping)


Gibson approaches a screened in gazebo.


Inside is a very talkative young female bald eagle who’s hopping around on a perch and giving
Gibson a knowing look.


“She’s very vocal and she likes to chat…She’s doing her rendition of ‘poor me, get over here and
pay attention to me’ in bald eagle.”


West Nile Virus began showing up in birds here about two years ago. It’s not known if a bird can
ever fully be cured of it. But in January the sanctuary released three bald eagles that had
sufficiently recovered.


Gibson says it would have been irresponsible to let them go without first observing the lingering
effects of the disease. She’s studying West Nile Virus in eagles with the help of Nick Derene.
He’s a graduate student from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point.


Derene logs onto a special website and tracks down one recently released bald eagle that’s been
tagged with a satellite transmitter.


A topographical map shows the region where the bird has settled. A red “x” marks the spot
within 100 yards of where the bird is at that moment.


“And he’s found a nice place on a bluff alongside a stream outside of Black earth About 3 miles
off the highway that runs from Madison to Blackearth.


“Very nice secluded spot atop a hill.”


The satellite transmitters are more accurate than traditional radio monitoring. And they’re a lot
more expensive. Since the Raptor Education Group doesn’t get state or federal funding, Marge
Gibson foots most of the bills herself. The monitoring project could cost as much as 60-thousand
dollars.


Just getting birds to the sanctuary is an involved process. Volunteers pick up birds they think
need help and drive them here. Then Nick Derene keeps an eye on the birds to see if they exhibit
any tell-tale signs of West Nile Virus.


“They’re usually convulsing, they have poor balance, head tremors. Usually
eye problems, sometimes they can’t fly-usually they can’t fly.”


West Nile Virus can also affect an eagle’s voice. That’s a problem because its mate might not
recognize its call.


When the sanctuary staff suspects a bald eagle has West Nile Virus they draw
a blood sample and send it to a local clinic for testing. Once the virus is confirmed, the only way
to treat it is with some tender loving care.


“Hi…lookit”


The birds are kept in cardboard boxes so they don’t expend energy flapping around. And they’re
fed baby food so they don’t waste energy in digestion. When the birds feel up to it they’re put in
an indoor flight room.


It looks like a warehouse-150 feet long and almost three stories high. It’s essentially a rehab ward
for birds who need to test their wings. An immature eagle flies overhead, but he hasn’t perfected
flight yet. He misses his perch, hits the wall and falls to the gravelly floor.


“Flapping, hits wall….is he okay?”


He’s okay but almost looks a little embarrassed.


On the floor of this flight room is a pile of fish, a deer carcass, and the ribcage of an animal that
became eagle chow.


Marge Gibson says she wants the eagles to stick to their wild diet. That’s why the satellite
monitoring program is so important because the birds’ behavior in the wild will indicate the
lasting effects of West Nile Virus.


“We can judge certain things in captivity, in a flight building. Whether the bird is flying well.
But one of the things we can’t judge is his visual acuity, his mental acuity and those things we
have to rely on once they’re released. And the satellite transmitter can follow them to see how
they’re reacting with their own species and other species once they’re in the
wild.”


So far, West Nile Virus is fairly rare in wild bald eagles. In Wisconsin, more bald eagles die
from being hit by cars than they do from West Nile virus.


Nationwide the birds have made a remarkable recovery since being nearly wiped in the 1970’s by
the pesticide DDT. It’s now banned.


It doesn’t look as though West Nile virus will reverse that upward trend.


Marge Gibson hopes to keep tabs on just a few of the eagles infected by the virus to help shed
light on a still mysterious disease.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Patty Murray.

Related Links

The Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race

  • The Wipeout sled from McGill University in Montreal gets a push at the start of the Great Northern Concrete Toboggan Race. (Photo by Karen Kelly)

Every year, engineering students throughout North America hold competitions to test their skills. They build robots and solar cars – combining technical prowess with creative design. In Canada, engineering students have devised their own contest. As the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Karen Kelly reports, their contribution to the engineering world is a toboggan made of concrete:

Transcript

Every year, engineering students throughout North America hold competitions to test their skills.
They build robots and solar cars – combining technical prowess with creative design. In Canada,
engineering students have devised their own contest. As the Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s
Karen Kelly reports, their contribution to the engineering world is a toboggan made of concrete:


(sound in gym)


It’s 10 am, Friday morning. The gym at Carleton University in Ottawa is packed with
engineering students. They’ve arrived for the technical exhibition of the Great Northern Concrete
Toboggan Race.


Why concrete?


Because it’s the last thing you’d expect on a sled.


Teams from 14 universities across Canada are here to display their designs – and to show off their
school spirit.


(sound of chanting)


There’s the oompa loompa team wearing overalls and matching green braids.


There’s the Big Fat Greek Tobaggan crew – hanging out in togas beneath a cardboard Parthenon.


And there are the Flaming Fowls, with caps featuring chicken legs made of yellow felt.


But it’s not just about costumes – it’s about the sled…


“So what’s special about your sled?”


“Well, one major thing its covered in feathers. As you can see, we went for a giant chicken.”


Giant as in 300 pounds – complete with a concrete bottom and a papier mache chicken head on
top. Andrew Kwiatkowski is team captain.


“Our running surface, what we did, we made a contour bottom so it’s higher up in the front and as
it goes back, it progressively flattens out so in theory, it will compact the snow and make us ride
faster.”


“Have you tried it out?”


“No, because our brakes – we actually worked on it on Wednesday before coming up. We didn’t
get a chance to test anything.”


The Flaming Fowls are not alone. Most of the sleds will make their inaugural run tomorrow – the
day of the race. Test runs, they say, are too risky. Hit a bump too fast, and the concrete can
crumble.


(sound)


“Well, we’re from university of Waterloo. Our sled’s name is Return of the Sledi, obviously Stars
War theme…”


Dan Roscoe runs a hand over the thick slab of concrete that coats the bottom of his sled. Each
sled is required to have a concrete bottom, a working brake, and room for five passengers.
Roscoe is particularly proud of the Sledi brake, which relies on borrowed parts to cushion the
sudden stop.


“The whole braking unit is riding on the aluminum column there, which at the back has 2 springs
off a Ford Pinto, so hopefully the riders won’t stop as quickly as the brake does.”


The competition offers a reward for best braking system, as well as best design, top speed and
best toboggan aesthetics.


(chanting)


But it’s really not about the prizes. Josh White and Emil Lauren are with Team Oompa Loompa.
And their focus is on having fun.


“It’s an awesome time. Plus, it’s really cool. You get to actually build something and apply what
you learned in class so it’s…and you’ve got to love the challenge. Building something that’s
theoretically impossible like super strong lightweight concrete, a sled out of things a sled
shouldn’t be built out of. It’s kind of fun just meeting that challenge.”


(cross fade with scraping)


The next morning, the teams gather at the top of a local ski hill. They huddle around their sleds,
rubbing them with thick layers of wax.


Carlos Deolivera is captain of Return of the Sledi. His team’s made some last minute safety
adjustments – covering sharp edges with styrofoam.


“So do you think this styrofoam held on by duct tape will actually protect people?”


“It’s a 300 pound toboggan with five riders, it’s not gonna be being cut that’s going to kill ya, it’s
the weight and the momentum of everything hitting ya. It’s just a little bit of safety in a
dangerous sport.”


Nearby is the team for the University of Calgary Chuckboggan – as in chuckwagon. They’re
mourning the loss of their longtime toboggan ritual.


“University of Calgary had a long tradition of nakedness at this competition. So last year we
brought it back, did a fully naked run in Edmonton, and got suspended by the university so this
year there won’t be any nudity, I don’t think. And it’s quite a bit colder here, too, I think.”


(sound of chanting)


The race begins and the crowd chants as the chickenhead tobaggon slides to the top of the 78 foot
hill.


“You guys ready?”


“Never. If we’re not, it doesn’t matter. We’re petrified.”


“You’re petrified?”


“Oh yeah. You can almost say we’re chicken, oh! (groans)”


The fog horn blows and the sled gets a push. The huge chicken slides about ten feet – and then
grinds to a stop.


(ohhh!)


It’s a disappointing finish for the chicken team as they push their sled to the side of the track.


Next up is the University of Calgary’s Chuckboggan.


(horn, then whoosh)


They fly by – fully clothed – and cross the finish line, winning first place. A few minutes later,
the Return of the Sledi grabs second place.


(little sound)


The Flaming Fowls do make it down the hill eventually – pushed by a crowd of other competitors.


But that’s the spirit of this event – in the end, helping a giant chicken cross the finish line is just as
important as whether you win or lose.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Karen Kelly.

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Front Line of Emerald Ash Borer Eradication

  • The Emerald Ash Borer may be small, but it can devastate communities of ash trees. (Photo courtesy of Michigan Department of Agriculture)

Government officials are beginning to cut down ash trees in some parts of the region to try to stop the spread of the emerald ash borer. The destructive insect shipped in from Asia has been destroying ash trees in the region since 2002. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham has more:

Transcript

Government officials are beginning to cut down ash trees in some
parts of the region to try to stop the spread of the emerald ash borer. The
destructive insect shipped in from Asia has been destroying ash trees in the
region since 2002. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Lester Graham has more:


In the U.S., Michigan is throwing up the first line of defense against the emerald ash borer by
cutting down ash trees. Sara Linsmeier-Wurfel is with the Michigan Department of Agriculture.
The agency will begin cutting down hundreds of ash trees around isolated pockets of emerald ash
borer infestations. It’s an attempt to stop the insect from spreading to other areas.


“And we’re doing our best to protect not only our resources, but those of the other Great Lakes
states and Canada.”


In Canada, Ontario is also cutting down ash trees. But the London Free Press newspaper reports
one company contracted to cut down ash trees in infested areas mistakenly cut down black walnut
trees instead.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, this is Lester Graham.

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Enviros Call on Fcc to Enforce Tower Regs

Communication towers throughout the country, such as cell phone and radio towers, are to blame for millions of migratory bird deaths each year. Now, an environmental group has filed a complaint against the Federal Communications Commission in an attempt to cut down on bird deaths. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ashley McGovern reports:

Transcript

Communication towers throughout the country, such as cell phone and radio
towers, are to blame for millions of migratory bird deaths each year. Now,
an environmental group has filed a complaint against the Federal
Communications Commission in an attempt to cut down on bird deaths. The
Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ashley McGovern reports:


The Federal Communications Commission requires lights on communication
towers two-hundred feet and taller.


Environmental groups say these towers pose a threat to migratory birds.


They say in bad weather birds mistake lights on towers for stars they use to
navigate when flying.


The FCC requires an environmental impact study to be conducted whenever
towers like these are built.


But environmental groups say the FCC rarely follows this regulation.


The National Wildlife Federation filed a complaint against the FCC after the
Michigan State Police built a one-hundred-eighty-one-tower communication
system.


Michelle Halley is an attorney for the NWF.


“The Michigan State Police applied to register their towers and to build their towers, and they were
allowed by the FCC to do that, without conducting the proper environmental review.”


Halley says these reviews can help position towers outside of migratory bird
flyways.


She also says lowering some towers would eliminate the required lighting.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Ashley McGovern.

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Study: Vinyl Alternatives Just as Affordable

The production of vinyl products is considered by many to be an environmental hazard. But vinyl’s affordability keeps it popular. Now a new study says vinyl alternatives can be just as affordable. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Corbin Sullivan reports:

Transcript

The production of vinyl products is considered by many to be an environmental hazard. But
vinyl’s affordability keeps it popular. Now a new study says vinyl alternatives can be just as
affordable. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Corbin Sullivan reports:


Vinyl or PVC is used in everything from pipe fittings to
medical gloves. It’s cheap and easy to make.


But when vinyl is produced it releases hazardous substances like mercury and dioxin. Both are
known to threaten human health.


The study was done at Tufts University. The authors say
regardless of health threats, vinyl is only inexpensive in
the short term.


They say that while vinyl is cheap when you first buy it,
it doesn’t last as long as most of its alternatives.


Frank Ackerman co-authored the study. He says since
the study showed vinyl isn’t more affordable, using
vinyl is irresponsible to the environment.


“The excuse that the market made us do it, that we were
economically forced to do something that we knew was
bad for health and the environment. That’s a lousy
excuse. There’s no reason to put up with that. You can
afford to do what you know is right for your health and
for the environment of those around you.”


Ackerman says the alternatives can be materials that
vinyl originally replaced. These are often natural
materials like woods and metals.


For the Great Lakes Radio Consortium, I’m Corbin
Sullivan.

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