This is a question our experts keep getting from time to time. Now, we have got the complete detailed explanation and answer for everyone, who is interested!
The Piney Point wastewater has not been found to have any detectable levels of radioactivity by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The high concentration of potentially harmful chemicals like phosphorous and nitrogen in the wastewater that is being discharged into Tampa Bay presents the greatest cause for concern. Red tide can be fueled by these nutrients.
Is there any radioactivity in the rubbish from Piney Point?
These waste materials are stacked in mountainous heaps known as gypsacks. Gypsacks can span hundreds of acres and reach heights of hundreds of feet. One billion tons of radioactive phosphogypsum are stored in twenty-five stacks across the state of Florida. These stacks include the Piney Point gypstack and the New Wales gypstack.
What are the risks associated with Piney Point?
The volume of process water that is stored on-site at Piney Point has been cited by officials as the primary concern at the location for many years. Process water is a chemical byproduct that is produced during the mining of phosphate and is high in ammonia, nitrogen, and phosphorous.
Can you tell me about the compounds that are in Piney Point?
On March 25, 2021, it was discovered that there were leaks in the containment wall of a 67-acre holding pool that was located in a stack of radioactive phosphogypsum. The holding pool was used to store nearly 400 million US gallons (1.5 106 m3) of wastewater that contained nitrogen, phosphorus, ammonia, and small amounts of radium and uranium from the former…… facility.
Is Piney Point still leaking after all these time?
Since April 8, when the discharge into Tampa Bay was turned off, none of the polluted water has left the Piney Point site, even though the seepage from the pond remained for several weeks. According to the FDEP, the leak has been contained in stormwater ponds located on the site.
What exactly is in the effluent from Piney Point?
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What caused the leak at Piney Point?
Late in the month of March, engineers working on the site discovered a leak in the liner of the Piney Point reservoir pond. This pond was used to store millions of gallons of filthy water that was produced by phosphate mining operations… Phosphate is extracted from the ground and mined for use in the manufacture of fertilizer.
Who really is to blame for the leak at Piney Point?
The state’s emergency order was lifted a week ago, which means that HRK Holdings, the company that owns the land, is once again responsible for ensuring that the vast reservoir that holds 200 million gallons of untreated wastewater does not leak again.
What exciting events are taking on in Piney Point?
On March 26, a leak appeared at the Piney Point phosphate mine and fertilizer facility, both of which have been closed down since 2001. The facility, which is one of more than two dozen in the state and of which nine are still operational, is home to stacks of phosphogypsum, which is a radioactive and poisonous byproduct of the fertilizer manufacturing process.
In Piney Point, what exactly is it that’s in the water?
In the Piney Point location, there is polluted wastewater of more than 800 million gallons in volume. The possibility that a break could occur and millions of gallons of the hazardous water will be released into the environment remains a concern. The manufacturing of fertilizer from phosphate rock results in the generation of water as a byproduct.
When did the leak at Piney Point occur?
The containment wall of a 77-acre pond in Piney Point, Florida, which was formerly used by a phosphate company and is located about 20 miles south of Tampa, was found to have leaks on March 25, 2021. The pond was carrying roughly 460 million gallons of wastewater at the time.
Is there any radioactivity in the Florida leak?
The sinkhole opened up in 2016 beneath one of the stacks in Mulberry, which is located in Polk County. As a result, all 215 million gallons of radioactive water that were stored in the retention pond were sucked down 220 feet into Florida’s underground aquifer, which is the source of drinking water for 10 million Floridians.
Is there any radioactivity in the wastewater from Florida?
Is there any radioactivity in the wastewater? The Piney Point wastewater has not been found to have any detectable levels of radioactivity by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. The high concentration of potentially harmful chemicals like phosphorous and nitrogen in the wastewater that is being discharged into Tampa Bay presents the greatest cause for concern. Red tide can be fueled by these nutrients.
What was the root cause of the leak at Piney Point?
For many years, Coates had been actively participating in Piney Point’s quality control… Nearly a year after Wood’s warning, locals living in the area around the old plant property were forced to evacuate their houses over the most recent Easter weekend because authorities warned that a leak caused by a liner rip could cause Piney Point to collapse. The pointing of fingers then started.
Is the water in Florida unclean?
Bacteria, nitrates, and lead are the three contaminants that are found across Florida in the greatest abundance. Additional compounds such as ethylene dibromide (EDB), tetrachlorethylene (PCE), and temik have also been discovered in certain locations on their own. Drinking water that has been tainted can put susceptible people at risk for developing a range of illnesses, some of which can be fatal.
What kind of things are kept at Piney Point?
Large quantities of phosphogypsum, a radioactive byproduct of the mining process for phosphate that is harmful to both people and the environment, are stored at the location in question. Phosphogypsum is kept in stacks, which are also called gypsum stacks, and each stack has a protective liner placed on top of it.
How many feet below the surface does the Piney Point Reservoir go?
With the most recent near-catastrophe, state and local officials have begun pushing the notion that injecting drugs is the “answer” once more. Their goal is to inject the plant’s toxic water 3,500 feet deep into the Floridan Aquifer, and they want to do so with the assistance of a prospective infusion of 0 million from President Joe Biden’s infrastructure plan to…
What exactly are the stacks that are located in Piney Point?
There are 25 gypsum stacks in Florida, and the majority of them are not too far away from one another. Piney Point is just one of them. In reality, Piney Point’s retention pond, which was responsible for the safekeeping of 480 million gallons of wastewater, is a gypsum stack. Phosphate mining generates a lot of rubbish that needs to be contained in this enormous dumpster.
Who are HRK Holdings’ current owners?
William “Mickey” F. Harley III, an investor on Wall Street who also owns a medical marijuana company, a Hooters franchise, and a uranium mine in Namibia, is the primary shareholder in the company. Harley III’s other business endeavors include investing in medical marijuana. The HRK site manager, Jeff Barath, gave a warning to the Manatee County commissioners in September that the ponds were getting close to being full.
Where exactly in Florida might one find radioactive water?
The pond of the defunct Piney Point phosphate mine is located in a stack of radioactive phosphogypsum, which is a waste product that is produced during the making of fertilizer. Radium and uranium are elements that exist naturally in trace levels in this substance. Radon gas can potentially be released in significant quantities if the stacks are not properly maintained.
What causes the water in Florida to be toxic?
Microcystis aeruginosa, a type of blue-green algae that is known to produce microcystin toxin, and Pyrodinium bahamense, which produces a neurotoxin called saxitoxin, are two types of toxic blooms that raise significant concerns in this valuable and vulnerable system. Both of these types of toxic blooms are known to cause significant harm.
Which areas of Florida are considered to be in a state of emergency?
At this time, the state of emergency has been declared in 23 of Florida’s 67 counties, including Bay, Calhoun, Citrus, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin, Gadsden, Gilchrist, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Leon, Levy, Liberty, Manatee, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Taylor, Wakulla, Walton, and Washington. These counties include: Bay, Calhoun, Citrus, Dixie, Escambia, Franklin
Is it safe to drink the water in Manatee County?
According to representatives from the utility company, the discolored water that is pouring out of the tap still complies with the criteria for drinking water and is safe to ingest. The Manatee County Water Treatment Facility is in the process of making certain changes to the treatment process, which is why the water has become discolored as a result of these changes.
Is it safe to swim in Tampa Bay?
Heuter cautioned, “The beaches are typically safe, but you shouldn’t swim at night or dawn, and it’s definitely not a good idea to swim in the open bay.” Although the beaches are generally safe, dusk and dawn are the most dangerous times to swim. Although sharks are found throughout the bay, researchers have identified specific “hot zones” or “pockets” that particular kinds of sharks gravitate toward.
Is it true that Tampa Bay is home to crocodiles?
Crocodiles are more likely to be found in southern Florida than in other parts of the United States, however they have been known to wander as far north as the Tampa Bay area on rare occasions. Alligators, on the other hand, are common across the Southeastern United States. As a result, the ecosystem of Florida is the only one in the entire world in which crocodiles and alligators dwell in harmony.
What factors contribute to Tampa’s poor air quality?
They claim that the majority of Tampa’s problems are caused by high-ozone days, which occur when pollution from cars and power plants linger in the air after being heated by the sun in Florida. Some argue that despite its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico, the breeze here is not as strong as the winds that blow off the ocean on Florida’s east coast, which is why the pollution remains.