Herbert Young - information regarding limerock road dust

II-'TAL _-;~;
.... l...
Pe.O I/=J TltlCS
~
Be:Fricl.aJWI88Y p I " ­ the growth ofmold
oIf I May 23 story
Mold maygrow
as costs are cut
I urge Hernando. CPPllt¥
SChools supermten8eIitWli}lne'
Alexander to take into consider­
ation the health of his employees
andstudentsbefore cuttingpower
to the schools one day a week for
the summer. I know there will be
no one in the buildings; that is not
the problem. I am talking about
.'
Some people are highly aller­
gic to mold; other's deYelop a sen­
sitivity to it when exposed every
day. When my daughter was in
school, she almost failed fourth
wen.
at least one day' a week. I Ilad,to as
including pollutants from
place her in a private school for the caIS that drive over it.
the sake ofher health.
Hernando County commis­
I also suffer from mold expo­
sioners need to do their jobs and
sure at my work and am on get experts from the u.s. Envi­
allergy shots and have to wear a ronmental Protection Agency
mask in the building. Is saving to evaluate the quality of the air
money more important than peo­
as cars and trucks drive by on
pIe's health? The Bible says you these roads. I believe they will
cannot serve God and money. learn that the pollutants in this
When will we start saving pro­ dust violate EPA standalds. The
pIes lives, their jobs, the environ­
commissioners also should spend
ment and the animals? So far, all some time standing along these
of our efforts to save money have roads, as the children waiting for
cost us money. We keep cutting school buses are expected to do
government spending, but there every day. It is unlikely they will
is no money. Itis goingtobigbusi­
still believe it is "safe" after just
one day of exposure. '
nesses, not where it should go.
The transportation impact fee
Protect our kids' health, edu­
has increased substantially in
cate them, give them good med­
ical treatment and help them recent years, but what are we get­
find good jobs. Then they canting for it in the unpaved areas?
pay taxes, and we will have more The requirement of petitioning
vlIIe, FL
All JeltEllS SflOliJJ(i'1:
Be: I.IDItI nO
rriPl!lnG;addressan4 tale- .
County needs
to testroad dust
wnenpos­
SibfEI,I_IS shouldfudlidEi
a hahdWtitten signature.
Addl'~ andtelephone
. numberS Win notheprinted.
.'ThEi"n
notpubllsh
" . letterS.
'1..~matbeeditedfor.
clarity. tastB, length and
8CQuracy. Weregretthatnot
al11ett~n be pri~.
ON II", c.Y (,.,0(:: Y
() urJ EfJ1 f'.1
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...
A.~
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have better-educated. employees,
and they will make more money.
When we do this, we will find that
in the long run we also are saving
money.
. Janet Cowling, BrooksrJille
p~number.
with constantly. If it is an their
furniture, it is in the air in their
homes. Even though the relative
amount ofsilicon in the lime rock
may be small, it does not dissolve
once it is in the lung and accumu­
~u.:~~~a, ~:~~~~:iem::
:o;:IIlO >~axes'
.anctmust include the writ·
er'sname,¢Ity of residence,
PUI ,JlJi 4L
IdIico.asrItdE I April 151etter
This is a response to the geolo­
gist who said the silicon in the
lime rock dust is not a risk to our
health.
We are nottalking about a casu­
al, one-time exposure. The fami­
lies who live along these roads are
subjected to thiS dust in the air
aD day, day-in, day-out. There is
a layer of lime rock dust inside
their homes that they must deal
needs to be re-eva1uated. Many'
in these areas simply cannot
afford the cost of paving. Those
of us who can afford it cannot get
it done because of the 70 percent
requirement. In addition, we are
paying the same millage rate for
property taxes as those who live .
in areas with all ofthe services the
county provides, such as water,
fire hydrants, drainage, cable and
Internet access, and fully paved
and maintained roads. We are
getting none of these services.
Many people who own land in
the unpaved areas are waiting to
build until the roads
paved.
The county will easily
the
cost of paving from the addition­
al property tax revenue it will
receive when these people move
in.
are
recoup
Dr.MaryT.Newport
SpringHill
l.jfti.f
........Ul'. . . . . u-__ \ APDl9.1etter
{Limerock roads . '
n9t a silicosis ris~
,. ".'j."..
: I'd like to reassure the wnter
[ who lives on the lime rock. ~
r that she cannot contract silicoSiS
. breathing lime rook dust.
( Lime rock, which tech~
ris soft limestone, is composed a
1the mineral calcite, which cI1eID-'
ically is calcium carbonate. Sil­
icosis is caused by inhalation. d:
finely divided silica dust. Slli:ca
typically occurs as ~e ~~
quartz, which chenucallY 15 sill­
!COn dioxide.
. True, thelimestone in this area
ntains traces of quartz, but far
little to be a health risk.
George Foster, geologist,
Weeki Wachee
Rinker Materials
MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEET
for
AGGREGATE PRODUCTS
.'It'fliorJ I - Product alld ('oJllpam Idl'lIlillralioll
MaterialldeatHy (Trade Names): Aggregate Products (LimestonelDolomite, GnmitelBasalt, Sand, or Gravel)
Manut'adurer'. Name: RJnker Materia" Corporatloa
Eml!l'leney Telephoae Number: 1-800-226-3768 ext. 2436
Address: 1501 Belvedere Road West Palm Beach FI JJ406
Telephone Number for I.'onaadon: 1-800-226-3768 ext. 2436
Internet Web Site: www,r!lIker,colU
Preparer: Clayton Group Services, Inc.
Sedioll II - ILII:lI'{IOIlS 11I~I'l'dil'lIh Idl'''lil~ 1"l'onll:llioll
Hazardous Components
(Chemical Identity/Common Names)
Component of alt aggregate products:
Crystalline Silica (Quartz)
(Note: Aggregate products are naturally
occurring materials of variahie
composition which may contain greater
than 0.1 % crystalline silica. For example,
I imestone typically contains less than 1%
crystalline silica, granite and gravel up to
40%, and sand, up to 100%.)
Component of limestone only:
Limestone (calcium carbonate, CaCOl )
Particulates not otherwise classitied~
CAS
No.
14808-60-7
OSHA
PEL
JOI(%Si02 +2) mg/u?
(Total)
IO/(%Si02 +2) mgj~
ACOnin.V
%
PEL
0.05 mg/rrf
(RClIplrablo
quartz)
(Respirable)
1317-6>3
MSHA
15 mg/u? (Total)
5 mglnf (Respirable)
10mg/u?
15 rrw./rrr (Total)
5 mgju? (Respirable)
10mgjrrl
(Inhalable)
3mgM
301(%Si01+3) mg/rJ
(Total)
1O/(%Si02 +2) mw~
(Respirable)
o-IOO"A.
10 mgjrrl (Total)
o-lllO"A.
10 mgju? (Total)
0-100%
(Res I Jmble)
Sel.:lioll III
Plnsil':II/( 'helJlic\1 ( h:ll':Il'll'\'jslil's
Boiling Point
Not Applicable
Specific Gnvlty (II.aO 0: 1)
2.45 -2.80
Vapor Prenure (mm Hg)
Not Applicable
Melting Point
Not Applicable
Vapor Deulty (Air ... 1)
Not Applicable
Evaporation Rate (Butyl Acetate = 1)
Not Applicable
SolubUity in Water: Not soluble
Appearanee and Odor: Granular white, gray, light tan and/or reddish odorless particles, ranging in size from powder to boulders.
Rinker Materials Corporation
_ MSDS for: Aggregate Products
MSDS#OOOI
•
Page lof4
Effective Date: August I, 200 I
Revision: 2
..
'
ExtiDplllblng Media: This material is noncombustible. Use cxtinguishing media appropriate to surrounding fire.
Special Fire Fighting Procedures:. Be aware ofnmofffrom fire control methods; particulate matter may clog sewers or waterways.
Unusual Fire and Esplosfoa Huards: See Section V, Incompatibility.
Sfabili : Stobie
Conditions ftl Avoid: Avoid contact with incom atible materials.
Incompatibility (M......... to Avoid): Stable under expected aindltions of use. Under unexpected conditions ofuse, material may react
with hydrofluoric acid to produce a corrosive gas (silicon tetrafluoride). Also, contact with powerful oxidizing agents such as fluorine,
boron trifluoride, chlorine trifluoride, manganese trifluoride, and oxygen difluoride may cause fire and/or explosions.
Baanlo.. Decempositlon or ByprodudB: None known.
f
Sl'l'IlOll \
,.,
I - Ilc:1I11I II:I/:lnl D.lla
RoUCe(I) olEDtry:
Skin? No
Inhalation? Yes
IDlndoD! Unlikely
HMIdt Hmnil (Effects described in this section are not believed to occur ifexposures are maintained at or below OSHA PELs, MSHA
PELs, and ACOIH TLVs. Because ofthe wide variation in individual susceptibility, these exposure limits may not be applicable to all
persons and those with medical conditions listed below):
Aeute Effects:
.~
EYE CONTACT: Direct contact with dust may cause initation by mechanical abrasion.
SKIN CONTACT: Direct contact may cause irritation by mechanical abrasion.
SKIN ABSORPTION: Not expected to be a significant route ofexposure.
INGESTION: Expected to be practically non-toxic. Ingestion oflarge amounts may cause gastrointestinal irritation and blockage.
INHALATION: Dusts may irritate the nose, throat, and respiratory tract by mechanical abrasion. Coughing. sneezing, and shortness of
breath may occur follOWing exposures In excess ofrecommcnded exposure limits.
~
,
Use of aggregate products for construction purposes is not bel!eved to cause additional acute toxic effects. However, repeated
overexposures to very ttigh levels of respirable crystalline silica (quartz, cristobalite. tridymite) for periods as short as six months have
caused acute silicosis. Acute silicosis is a rapidly progressive, incurable lung disease that is typically fatal. Symptoms include (but are
not limited to): shortness of breath, cough, fever, weight loss. and chest pain.
Cbronie Efl'eetl: Chronic bronchitis may result from chronic inhalation exposure. If unprotected skin is chronically exposed to dust.
contact dermatitis may occur.
Aggregate products may contain more than 0.1 % crystalline silica, which is a cancer hazard if inhaled. Cancer risk depends on duration
and level of exposure. Prolonged exposure to crystalline silica can cause silicosis, a progressive pneumoooniosis (lung disease).
Respirable dust containing newly broken silica particles has been shown to be more hazardous to animals in laboratory tests than
respimble dust containing older sIlica particles ofsimilar size. Respirable silica particles which had aged for sixty days or more showed
less lung injury in animals than equal exposures ofrespirable dust containing newly broken particles ofsilica.
•
Rinker Matet\\l\\ Corporation
MSDS for: Aggregate Products
MSDStlOOOl
Page 2 of4
Effective Date: August 1, 2001
Revision: 2
Jude A. Pierre, MD
~Ve5e"n Stoyanov, MD
Elizabeth J. Thompson, M.s., PA-e
ca
:E
~
5362 Spring Hill Dr.. Spring Hill, FI 34606
TeI.352.686.3101 Fax.352 6Btj.8713
8
~
i
~
to test road dust
•
~
C-
County needs
•
o
•
Health
A.SSOCIATES.
Tbis 1S a response to the geologIst who said tu", .:>~u"'vu .u.. ......'" .........'" ... "'_A~
is not a risk to our health.
~
LLC
~
We are not talking about a casual, one-time exposure. The families who live
along these roads are subjected to this dust in the air all day, day-in, day-out.
There is a layer of lime rock dust inside their homes that they must deal with
constantly. If it is on their furniture, it is in the air in their homes. Even
though the relative amount of silicon in the lime rock may be small, it does
not dissolve once it is in the lung and accumulates over time. There are
many other chemicals in this lime rock as well, including pollutants from the
cars that drive over it.
Hernando County commissioners need to do their jobs and get experts from
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate the quality of the air
as cars and trucks drive by on these roads. I believe they will learn that the
pollutants in this dust violate EPA standards. The commissioners also should
spend some time standing along these roads, as the children waiting for
school buses are expected to do every day. It is unlikely they will still
believe it is "safe" after just one day of exposure.
The transportation impact fee has increased substantially in recent years, but
what are we getting for it in the unpaved areas? The requirement of
petitioning and 70 percent agreement among neighbors is antiquated and
needs to be re-evaluated. Many in these areas simply cannot afford the cost
of paving. Those ofus who can afford it cannot get it done because ofthe 70
percent requirement. In addition, we are paying the same millage rate for
property taxes as those who live in areas with all ofthe services the county
provides, such as water, :fire hydrants, drainage, cable and Internet access,
and fully paved and maintained roads. We are getting none of these services.
Many people who own land in the unpaved areas are waiting to build until
the roads are paved. The county will easily recoup the cost of paving from
the additional property tax revenue it will receive when these people move
ID.
Dr. Mary T. Newport
I
Parf~slth Singh, M.D.
'Marra ScunZianO-$ingh M 0
Gretchen Kronenthal, PA·
Manjusri VennamCi1Te'hI~M'D'
Charles Kronenthal, PADhammlka Ekanayake '~D
Sharona Loewenstein, PA·'
Andrew SprInger, PA.C· . .
Marc Alessandronl, PA·,
Sh.errY Rockman, PA.C ~ellssa Coombs, PA,.
Nancy Franklin, PA.C
.
Verna Runyan, ARNP-(
JUlie Long, PA·(
.
County needs
to test road dust
-l-n+..t l'l.I6~
C
E S
~ll,mE,
53t?O Spring Hill Drive
Spong Hill. FL 34606
WWW.occesshealthcarellc net
This is a response to the geologist who said the ::>U.l,,",Vu u.~
is not a risk to our health.
......_
&
._
_
Phone: (3521688-811l
Fox: (352) 686-947;
Phone: (352) 666-922::
Fox: (352) 666-929C
We are not talking about a casual, one-time exposure. The families who live
along these roads are subjected to this dust in the air all day, day-in, day-out.
There is a layer of lime rock dust inside their homes that they must deal with
constantly. If it is on their furniture, it is in the air in their homes. Even
though the relative amount of silicon in the lime rock may be small, it does
not dissolve once it is in the lung and accumulates over time. There are
many other chemicals in this lime rock as well, including pollutants from the
cars that drive over it.
Hernando County commissioners need to do their jobs and get experts from
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate the quality ofthe air
as cars and trucks drive by on these roads. I believe they will learn that the
pollutants in this dust violate EPA standards. The commissioners also should
spend some time standing along these roads, as the children waiting for
school buses are expected to do every day. It is unlikely they will still
believe it is "safe" after just one day of exposure.
The transportation impact fee has increased substantially in recent years, but
what are we getting for it in the unpaved areas? The requirement of
petitioning and 70 percent agreement among neighbors is antiquated and
needs to be re-evaluated. Many in these areas simply cannot afford the cost
of paving. Those ofus who can afford it cannot get it done because ofthe 70
percent requirement. In addition, we are paying the same millage rate for
property taxes as those who live in areas with all ofthe services the county
provides, such as water, fire hydrants, drainage, cable and Internet access,
and fully paved and maintained roads. We are getting none ofthese services.
Many people who own land in the unpaved areas are waiting to build until
the roads are paved. The county will easily recoup the cost of paving from
the additional property tax revenue it will receive when these people move
ID.
Dr. Mary T. Newport
s
LLC.
====-=========-------------­
Health in county gets bad report
Residents here are at greater risk of many aliments than other Floridians, a study says.
By TOM MARSHALL
Published September 29, 2006
St. Petersburg Times
BROOKSVILLE - Hernando County residents are more likely than Floridians generally to die
of heart disease, cancer, respiratory ailments and stroke, according to a new study of the
county's health needs.
The report, released Thursday to the Health Care Advisory Board, found that county residents
were more at risk than the average Floridian between 2000 and 2004 even when age is fac­
tored out.
Across categories, Hernando is at greater risk than Florida, n said Jeff Feller, director of com­
munity initiatives for the nonprofit WellFlorida Council of Gainesville, which produced the
study.
n
While the rate of heart disease deaths in Hernando was fairly close to the Florida rate· 235.7
per 100,000 versus 232.4 - the difference was substantial for cancer.
In that category, 218.1 per 100,000 Hernando residents died between 2000 and 2004, com­
pared to a statewide death rate of 191.3 per 100,000.
African-Americans from Hernando County are also significantly more likely than whites to die
from those diseases, said the study.
And thei.r rate of death from diabetes - 81.8 per 100,000 - was more than three times the
white rate of 25.8 per 100,000.
The rate of increase for diabetes was one of the report's big surprises, Feller said. In 2001, 10
percent of those surveyed in telephone polls identified themselves as having diabetes. This
year, 15.3 percent of those sampled have the disease, he said.
And 6.4 percent of those surveyed described symptoms of psychological distress within the
last 30 days, compared to a national average of about 3 percent, Feller said.
Mental health hospitalization rates were substantially higher in Hernando County than the rest
fl.
\J
i
15-183•.Definitions.
The following words, as used in this articfe, shall have the following meanings.
'­
'-
(a) Hazardous waste shall mean hazardous waste as identified and defined at Section
403.703(23), Florida Statutes, and at Florida Administrative Code Rule 17-703.030.
~ (b) Air toxies shall mean hazardous air pollutants which present or may present.
through inhalation or other routes of exposure, a threat of adverse human. health effects
(including, but not limited to, substances which are known to be, or may reasonably be
anticipated to be, carcinogenic, mutagenic, teratogenic. neurotoxic, which cause
reproductive disfunction or which are acutely or chronically toxic) or adverse
environmental effects whether through ambient concentrations, bioaccumulation,
deposition or otherwise. Air toxies shall include those substances listed in Title III of the
amendments to the Clean Air Act enacted by the United States Senate on April 3. 1990.
(Ord. No. 90-8, § 5,5-15-90)
-~---
--------------- --~---------
Plr1E
~~f
Hernando Count! Government
Directory of Services
.•.. ~- -Mission Statement .....
The mission of Hernando County is to
provide and enhance quality programs,
_services' and f~cilities t:~at reflect the
goals of the community while always
promoting health, safety and public
welfare and quality of life
for ,our citizens.
'\/1 nOO7
Hernando County is sued over limestone use on roads - Newspaper ...
http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/50549597.htmJ?dids=5...
. Hernando County is sued over limestone use on roads
[CITY Edition]
St. Petersburg TImes - St. Petersburg, Fla.
Author:
CHUCK MURPHY
Date:
Sep 15, 1989
2.5.3­
Start Page:
Section:
CITRUS TIMES; PASCO TIMES; TAMPA
Text Word Count: 380
Document Text
BROOKSVILLE - The owners of a large Hernando
County cattle farm have claimed in a lawsuit that
county road crews have poisoned their land by using
limestone on roads bordering the ranch.
In a suit filed Wednesday in the 5th Judicial Circuit
Court, the owners of Two Rivers Ranch in east
Hernando County say that the county has ignored
repeated pleas to stop pouring the limestone.
The county uses limestone on unpaved roads because
it resists erosion and saves maintenance costs.
But the result, according to the ranchers, is highly
alkaline soil caused by rainwater runoff that has killed
grass and made the land unsuitable for cattle grazing.
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-
•. Rainwater combines with partides of this Jimerock
material and forms a highly alkaline solution which
drains from said roads onto plaintiffs land and soaks
into the soil," the suit states. "This alkaline solution
affects the Ph-balance of the soil, destroying the existing vegetation and rendering the land unfit for the growth of any
vegetation suitable for grazing cattle or other farming operations."
County Attorney Bruce Snow did not return a telephone call from the Hernando TImes and could not be reached for
comment. Robert Thomas of Tampa, who owns Two Rivers, also could not be reached.
\
The Thomas family of Hillsborough County, which owns the Hernando spread, also owns about 17,000 acres of
cattle-grazing land on U.S. 301 near the Hillsborough-Pasco border.
The Hernando ranch stretches for more than a mile in the eastern part of the county, just north of the Hernando-Pasco
border.
The ranch is bordered by Hickory Hill Road, Baseball Pond Road, Chartotte Road and Lockhart Road in sparsely
populated east Hernando, just south of the Withlacoochee State Forest.
In the lawsuit, the ranchers say that the county has spread limestone on the unpaved roads since the ear1y 1980s,
despite the protests of ranch owners.
"As a result, a substantial amount of plaintiffs land abutting said roads can no longer be used as pasture or for other
farming operations," the lawsuit states.
The suit asks Circuit Judge John.Booth to issue a permanent injunction against the county barring it from spreading
any more limestone on the roads. The suit also asks the court to award the ranchers attorney's fees and court fees and
any damages the judge may determine.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited
without perrnission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
BROOKSVILLE - The owners of a large Hernando County cattle farm have
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Dusty Roads May Get Paving Fix
[FINAL EdiIion]
Tampa TriIu1e - Tampa, Fla.
Author:
...... MICHAEL D. BATES
Dele:
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PASCO
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BROOKSVlUE - Hernando County Commiasioner Rose Rocco knows well whalthe county's lime rock
roads can IODk like when Irawling dcMn them in dry seasons.
The continuing construetion 01 . - homes in n.nl areas 01 Hernando County has turned 80ITlEllime
rock IOlIds inIo rn&jor roadways. Maintaining those roads and the resultant dust are major concerns for
roadaews.
Depending on the size of the road and how well ~ is ccnstruded, lime rock roads work well for many 01
the Iess-IrlIveIed IOlIds in the COl.FIty, (ChlIrles Mixson) said.
Reproduced _
~ 01 tho -'llhloonor. F _ rIIJlQducIIon ordlslrlbutlon II praIibIled _
~.
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7/1312008 10:34 Mi
. SlOne -for road to be replaced
{CITY Edition]
St. Petersburg Times - St. Petersburg, Fla.
Author:
Date:
Start Page:
TIM GRANT
Feb 16,1993
Section:
CITRUS TIMES
282
l_ext~W~rcf Count:
Document
\
1
Te_~
.jj r
.....
-
"x.r n~:L-'l!ll.UA-~ L/~Th8~
~\lJi:t--1tS_~~i't"-L"1.--~NJ)O
Work crews will 800n begin removing about 2,000 feet
of the new road being built through downtown
Inverness because substandard limestone was found
by state inspectors more than a week ago.
~
A small portion of the 2-rnile project was found to have
had substandard limestone In Its base during a random
inspection by state oflicfals. Steve Homan, spokesman
for the Department of Transportation's District 5 office,
said Monday.
Homan said some of the material was tested Feb. 4,
and results showed that the limestone contained too
much clay.
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For the past week, inspectors have been testing
throughout the project to determine how much of the
road was affected by the limestone, he said.
-
-We did 18 core samples every 200 feet. and we
determined the area with bad materials was located
where the road Is being realigned near the Masonic Lodge," Homan said.
Umestone forms the base of all roads in Florida.
The limestone for this project is being supplied by Carroll Contracting and Ready Mix Inc.
Homan said about 3,000 tons will be removed and replaced by DAB. Construction of Brandon, the contractor for the
project.
He said the enor should not delay the widening of State Road 44 because the contractor is three months ahead of
schedule.
The project was scheduled to be completed by November, but the contractor is expected to be finished by midsummer.
"They lost a litUe time, but in the meantime, while the tests were being done, they (the contractor) were doing other
work on the project," Homan said.
"This doesn't affect other work, such as drainage and curb work," he said.
Homan said all the substandard limestone Is expected to be replaced by this weekend.
Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited
without permission.
Abstract (Document Summary)
Work crews will soon begin removing about 2,000 feet of the new road being
built through downtown Inverness becausa substandard limestone was found
by state inspectors more than a week ago.
A small portion of the 2-rnile project was found to have had substandard
limestone In its base during a random inspection by state officiafs, Steve
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AGGREGAtE PRODUCTS
Aggregate poducIsMl nllluraJly occurring rnaleriBIs (IlmestonelRoiomll8, granle (basalt), sand.
or gravel). Which may con. mora Ihan O.1cw, ~ aIllca.
CAUTION!
OUST MAY CAUSE IRRITAlION TO EVES. SKIN..-.ND RESPIRATORY TRACT.
CANCER HAZARD: DUST FROM HANDLING, CRlSHING. CUTTfNG,
GRINOING. OR DRILLING AGGREGATE PROOU~ MA.Y CONTAIN
CRYSTAlliNE StLICA WHICH MAY CAUSE CANER IF INHAl.EO.
Risk of cancer depends on duration and level of lnCID'"sure.
Avoid contact with eyes and skin. Wash 1horougl1~'" handing.
A'IOId bl88thing ckJ&t. WIlen exposed to dust abow .recommended limits
teee"MSDS), wear auJf8blB NIOSH-apprOY8d respE!illofy~.
safely
Rrlt AId rn eese d eye contact lmmedIateJv ftush lIVes with~1enty of water.
If Inhaled. lemDve to fl'88h aIr. Get medical aIenlkrll • /I'rl8lIOn pensists.
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Check out how luck was on the side of a
group of Bay area office workers whose
• dream came true. Thursday on Your Morning
News.
News> Headlines
A dusty problem in Hernando
County
saturday, Aprtl 21, 2007
Post a comment
I E-mail this story I Print
Ask anyone who lives near
one of the IImerock roads in
Hernando County about the
dust.
There .... hundred. of mil. of
limerock road. throughout
More specifically about the
dust the roads spew into the
air when the roads get dry
and traffic comes through. In
fact, some people say the
roads are affecting their
health.
Hernando County.
There's about 539 miles of
Iimerock roads throughout the county and that's more than enough
to kick up plenty dust.
"When a school bus comes down through here you can't even see,
said homeowner Ben Martin. "You can not even see the school bus
after It passes you.
II
The IImerock roads are made up
primarily of Florida limestone, which
studies show contain traces of Silica.
Respiratory Illnesses have been
caused by Silica.
Dusty Trails
Umerock roads ~
Albert Gray, the environmental manager for the Hernando County
Health Department, said the dust can be harmful but that depends on
the size of the dust particles.
"Some other factors are the duration of the exposure, Gray said.
''The toxicity of the particles themselves and the pre-existing health
conditions of the indiVidual, the very young or the elderly."
II
Concerned residents voiced their opinions at a county commission
meeting earlier this week. Commissioners have directed the Public
Works department to come up With a priority list of roads in the
county to receive asphalt surfacing.
"They're saying that they're going to get something done now," said
Martin. "But nothing has happened so far."
http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2007/4/21/241156.html
7/11/2007
LIMEROCK
~tlealthexperts
.
The dust may exacerbate
the symptoms, he added.
Alllimerock not created equal
Continued from Page A1
d·lespute Ielm· e~o(k
;~J~~~:~:~ft~~~~raYs°:at
,elsics
;
health r
: the limerock dust posed no
, health hazard:
,
After listening to home­
~:~l~~;'~~~;fs~ro~u~~~r:-'
NO INCREASED CHANCE
OF CANCER, THEY SAY
By MICHAEL D. BATES
mbates4Phernandotoday.com
BROOKSVILLE - County com­
missioners Tuesday approved
spending up to $110,000 to
improve a limerock road after
listening to alengthy, impas­
sioned crowd relate horror .
stories of contracting asthma,
respiratory problems and even
cancer from constant e>..'P0­
sure to limerock dust.
Some even paraded docu-
')
. man Jeff Stabms said he fmds
it hard to believe there would
be no adverse effect from
breathing in limerock dust.
ments "proving" their case by
Civic activist Janey Bald­
citing the cancer rate in Her­
win blasted commissioners
nando County was larger than
for voting to spend so much
other places in Florida.
money without conducting a
CoIlUnissioners said the
public hearing and inviting
$110,000 to improve Star Road
health experts.
with a chip sealant is a start to­
Taking the claims of emo­
ward improving other lime­
tionally charged residents
rock roads throughout the
without getting both sides
county. They agreed that
was not a smart move, she
somet:liffig must be done toal­
said.
IeVlate.the suffering oTI!1ese­
As homeowner Terry Hill
people.
.
.
said at the meeting: "This is
health experts attended
the county commission meet- i life and death for us."
But is it?
ing to verify the claims of citi- ;
Is
living on a limerock road
zens. County Engineer Charles '
hazardous to your health?
Mixson, at one point, said it f(
'. No
See L1M£ROCIC. P:a".. II ')
SEPTEMBER 27, 1007 • hernandotoday.com .
"
You can't 'catch' asthma
No cancer link
Well, it depends, according
to Hernando County Envi­
ronmental Manager AI Gray.
"The risk is very low," Gray
said.
Citing a report from Flori­
da Rock Industries, where
the majority of llmerock for
local roads comes from,the
composition is 100 percent.
calcium carbonate with . . ".
traces of silica, 9r quartz.
('Calcium carbonate is in~'
~ested by human.s, es p. eciall.y,
lWomen, who want to supple­
Iment their diet with c81cium
~incre.ase bone strenih~
tyray SaId. .
..:..-;
The chancesof a healthy
person contracting arespira- .
tory illness such as asthma
by driving on a limerock road
,and_occasionally breathing
in the aust are low, Gray said.
Asthma, for example, is an
immune response.
"You don't contract asth­
ma," he said. "People either.
have it or they don't.
"If someone has asthma,
their condition is worsened if
they're exposed to any par­
ticulate matter, whether it is
~oUen ~r.limerock dust,"
I
I.
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ii"
Gray said there are severa
factors to take into consider·
ation aboutlimerock dust
and its affect on health, in­
cluding the toxicity of parti~
des inhaled, size of the parti
des, the concentration of'
those particles and the dura.­
tion of exposure.
,
Because the toxicity of ,
county limerock roads is Cal­
cium-based, there is noim~·
minent risk. Normally, peo­
ple don't stand by the road '.
anr·FJreathe in the dust eight
hmtrs a day, he said.
Some of the statistics cited
by'homeowners at Tuesday's
meeting cited toxicity levels
that adversely affect the ".
lungs.
But ilmerock composition·
varies depending on the"
source; Gray said there are
parts of the countrywhere,:·
the concentration of$e .'
limerock is different anll'po~'
tentially more harmful, he .
said.
There are also no cause
and effect studies linking
cancer rates to limerock .
roads, he said.
~ray said there are.sco~s
of people who work in lime­
rock mines in Her:nando' '.
County and his departm~
has no records of heallh
problemsftom them.
­
Other than a nuisanee
tor, with limerock duStleB:
ing
unsightly layer-Qf ~
on carsimdp~ants,GritY'~
it is Ullli,kelythat livinl0J!a ....
limerock ro8.dcreat~~sm:
a, healtll risk as many1ior==
owners'Claim:
.­
.Dr.l;elli Maw, medicalZ.":
ecutive director for the fiE:
nando County Health
partment, echoed Gray's..­
sertions that people who'Q'Q""':
not have respiratory pro11£'-=:'
lems or are in overall goost:::::
health !ace no health d~;
in mOVing to a limerock­
road..
~. :::-:
However, for people wtth::.;
pre-existing respiratory ocm::.
ditions, the problem coum:: ...
be exacerbated, she said.:'::':
=
ma::
an
I1e:..:...
Click here for air quality alerts.
•
Click here for woodburning tips.
. .Click here for fugitive dust controls.
EPA recognizes Rapid City for achieving National
Anlbient Air Quality Standards.
DENR Press Release
Rapid City Journal Article
The Rapid City area is located in the high plains and is subject to periods of droughts and high
winds. These are the main ingredients for fugitive dust problems. Fugitive dust is identified as dust
from mining activity, gravel roads. construction activity, street sanding operations and wind erosion.
Fugitive dust is the main air quality problem in the Rapid City area. A Natural Events Action Plan
for high winds was developed for Rapid City to control fugitive dust emissions.
Click here to be notified of upcoming Air Quality Board Meetings.
Air Quality Goals: The goals of the Rapid City Area Air Quality Board are to maintain compliance
status with the United State's Environmental Protection Agency's National Ambient Air Quality
' \ , Standards, and to prevent adverse health and environmental effects that result from fugitive dust
emissions and smoke from wood burning and open burning. These goals are achieved and
m ...inh.inO'Oti fhrnllnh thA "AUAlnnmAnf IOn" imnlAmAnflOfinn nf nmnrlOmet nf O'OtiIlMltinn l>ir nnlilltinn
10fl
312012008 11:21 PN
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.-1-\
Unlt8cl States
=mental Protection
Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards
Particulate Matter
• Larger particles (> PM 10) deposit in the
- ­
upper respiratory tract
•
• Smaller, inhalable particles « PM 10)
penetrate deep into the lungs
• Both coarse PM 10-2 .5 and fine PM 2.5 can
penetrate to lower lung
• Deposited particles may accumulate,
react, be cleared or absorbed
·
,.-
-
.- -- ­
'~appapo:rt,Su~,,· ..
From:
Rappaport, Susan
Sent:
Wednesday. May 09. 20q,7.4~ PM
'hY333@bellsouth~· rft.l
To:
Subject:
Fugitive dust and limestone roads
Dear Mr. Young:
I had the opportunity to speak with our staff member concerning AlA's efforts to control fugitive
dust in the United States. As I expected. she was much more well-informed about this problem
and the lung association's role in fighting for solutions than I was.
The air pollution control community is well aware of the problems concerning fugitive dust and the
toxic compounds present in this dust. Last year, when EPA wanted to exempt any control over
this issue. the ALA fought them through a lawsuit asking them to set standards consistent with
public health, as the Clean Air Act states. The new PM 10 standards may help. These new
standards-werellOtsetaievel we t1lought was totatly-protective,' but-will probably '01 ce SOl'Tle--"
reduction.
We are also aware that particularly in areas with a drought, the problem is exacerbated, as there
is no moisture which holds the dust down. There are community based measured that can be put
in place. including putting moisture on the ground to control this dust
Indoor air filters may help reduce the problem, but unfortunately are often overwhelmed by the
amount of dust. That is why cleaning up the source is most important
-
The Environmental protection commission of Hillsborough County most likely is aware of the
problem. The web site for the National Association of Clean Air Agencies. www.4cleanair.org.
This group will have a good understanding of what is acceptable and what good measures might
be to clean up the problem locally. Their phone number is 813 6272600. You may also want to
contact your local lung association to work with them on this issue. There contact information is:
1333 West Colonial Drive Orlando. FL 32804-7133; (407) 425-5864.
Please call me if you have additional questions.
Susan J. Rappaport, MPH
Vice President
Research and Program Services
American Lung Association
61 Broadway, New York, NY 10006
tel: 212-315-8791
fax: 212-315-8874
www.lungusa.org
Improving Life, One Breath at a Time
Average miles travelea per gallon
Passenger car
14.3
14.5
13.5
Total
12.4
12.5
12.0
Average fuel consumed per vehle;le (gallons)
Passenger car
668
661
760
Total
784
787
830
71
13:9
12.2
15.9
13.3
17.4
14.6
20.2
16.4
21.1
16.8
695
790
576
712
559
685
520
530
700
6n
531
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u~.-;:;s:-. ;:De-:-p-a-'rt:-m-e:-nt:-o-;f-=T:-ra-n-sp-o-rt-at~lo:':n:"'. ~~
Major Air Pollutants
=tru:::c:i:ks=-.--:S;;O:o:-:-u=ro:":e":"";;
Pollutant
Sources
Effects
Ozone. A colorless gas that is the
major constituent of photochemical
smog at Earth's surface. In the upper
atmosphere (stratosphere), however,
ozone is beneficial, protecting us
from the sun's harmful rays.
Ozone is formed in the lower atmo­
sphere as a result of chemical reac­
tions between oxygen, volatile
organic compounds, and nitrogen
oxides in the presence of sunlight,
especially during hot weather.
Sources of such harmful pollutants
include vehicles, factories, landfills,
industrial solvents, and numerous
small sources such as gas stations,
and farm and lawn equipment.
Automobiles, buses, trucks, small
engines, and some industrial pro­
cesses. High concentrations can be
found in confined spaces like parking
garages, poorly ventilated tunnels, or
along roadsides during periods of
heavy traffic.
Oz~ne causes significant health
Carbon Monoxide. Odorless and
colorless gas emitted in the exhaust
of motor vehicles and other kinds of
engines where there is incomplete
fossil fuel combustion.
Nitrogen Dioxide. Light brown gas at
lower concentrations; in higher con·
centrations becomes an important
component of unpleasant·looking
brown, urban haze.
Particulate Matter. Solid matter or
liquid droplets from smoke, dust, fly
ash and condensing vapors that can
be suspended in the air for long peri·
ods of time.
Sulfur Dioxide. Colorless gas, odor­
less at low concentrations but pun­
gent at very high concentrations.
Lead. Lead and lead compounds can
adversely affect human health
through either ingestion of lead·
contaminated soil, dust, paint, or
direct inhalation.
Result of burning fuels in utilities,
industrial boilers, cars, and trucks.
l
Industrial processes, smelters, auto­
mobiles, burning industrial fuels,
woodsmoke, dust from paved and •
unpaved roads, construction, and
agricultural ground breaking.
ErTlifted-targely trom-irRttJstrial, institu­
tional, utility and apartment-house
fumaces and boilers, as well as
petroleum refineries, smelters, paper
mills, and chemical plants.
Transportation sources using lead in
their fuels, coal combustion, smelters,
car battery plants, and combustion of
garbage containing lead products.
and
environmental problems at Earth's
surface. It can irritate the respiratory
tract, produce impaired lung function
and cause throat irritation, chest Piin.
cough, and lung inflammation. It can
also reduce the yield of agricultUral
crops and injure forests and other
vegetation. Ozone is the most injun­ I
ous pollutant to plant life.
j
I
I
Reduces the ability of blood to deliv;1
oxygen to vital tissues, affecting Pri-... I
marily the cardiovascular and nero I
vous systems. Lower concentrations
have been shown to adversely affect
individuals with heart disease; higher
concentrations can cause dizziness
headaches, and fatigue.
•
One of the major pollutants that ­
causes smog and acid rain. Can
harm humans and vegetation when
__ concentrations are sufficiently high.
These microscopic particles can
affect breathing and respiratory
health, causing increased respirato/y
disease and lung damage, and possi­
bly premature death.
One of the major pollutants that
cause smog. Can also, at high c0n­
centrations, affect human health,
especially among asthmatics, and
acidify lakes and streams.
Elevated lead levels can adversely
affect mental development, kidney
function, and blood chemistry. Young
children are particularly at risk.
LOCAL DOCTOR WARNS HERNANDO COUNTY
COMMISSIONERS OF THE LONGTERM HEALTH
HAZZARDS OF BREATHING LIMESTONE DUSTI
On May 28, 2008 local Dr. Mary T. Newport MD in a letter to the Hernando Times states her concerns of
inhaling limestone dust long term. She challenges the Board of Commissioners to do their jobs and get
experts from the US Environmental Protection Agency to evaluate the quality of air as cars, trucks,
school busses and Hernando County vehicles drive on these roads. Think of our chUdren and
grandchUdren who breathe this limestone dust on a daUy long term basis.
Hernando County Mission Statement: The Mission of the Hernando County Board of
Commissioners is to provide services that protect property and to enhance the
HEALTH, SAFETY and QUALITY of LIFE of our citizens, residents and visitors.
Their objective: Respond to citizens concerns and suggestions in a timely and courteous manner.
County Ordinance no. 2000.08 (One of many)
Hernando County pleas to the state of Florida for approval of MSB, municipal service benefit, to pave, at
property owners expense, limestone roads Irving/Highfield.
"It is hereby found by the Board of County Commissioners of Hernando County Florida, that road paving
improvements are an essential service for the benefit of the Health, Safety and Welfare of the
public." (Apparently they realize there are HEALTH issues on limestone roads if they have asked the state
to approve an MSB for that reason.)
Independent Lab Test: (Test results by Dr E. Behravesh, Austin, TX)
Limestone Road ground samples from two school bus stops and one residence in Hernando County, FL
showed an average of 49.7% of the sample particles below the 2.5 micron size deemed harmful to
inhale. "Although not an air sample," said Dr Behravesh, "the Law of Gravity should show whatever is in
the air came from the ground source kicked up by moving vehicles. What goes up must come down
somewhere. Not just on the source, but miles away depending on wind conditions." (Spring Hill Too?)
Albert C. Gray M.P.H., Environmental Manager, Hernando County Health Department (540-6800)
"As we have discussed in the past, inhalation of particles smaller than 2.5 microns can enter the
lungs. The long term health affects of exposure to particles of this size depends on many factors
including the toxicity of the particles inhaled, duration of the exposure and the health of the person
exposed." He also said his department does not have the authority to control dust emissions from
limestone roads, or have the funds to sample or monitor the limestone roads.
He suggests contacting the Hernando County Commissioners with our health issues.
Department of Public Works, Charles A. Mixson Director I County Engineer (754-4060)
At a Commissioners meeting April 2007, The Board of Commissioners directed Mr Mixon to create a list of
unpaved roads that needed dust control due to increasing heavy traffic. He was given 60 days to report
back. On Sept 19,2007, almost 3 months after his deadline he listed 9 roads, via Engineering Division
Memorandum to the Commissioners, that are changing from local to collector road status and need
paving. Star Rd from Sunshine Grove to Weeping Willow was number 1 on the list and was paved Nov
2007. Next 8 to be paved at Hernando County's expense: Thrasher Rd from US 19 to Pomp Parkway;
Sedate St from Baney Hill to Sorrel St; Sorrel St from Sedate St to Sunshine Grove; Baney Hill Rd
from Kansas St to Citrus Way; Sharon Ct from Idle-A-While Circle to Lewis La; Drew St from Jacaranda
Cr to Highfield Rd; Highfield Rd from Suncoast Parkway to Arizona St; Star Rd from Weeping Willow to
the west terminus.
Mixson's Department requested Board direction regarding dust control for limestone roads. They
authorized paving Star Rd and it was completed in Nov 2007. No progress has been made since.
Down with Road Dust
Page 1 of3
IEnvitr.:lQ~n~ HtHllttI&t~sVoJume 11 LNumber
16, De~mber_2QQ3
:Innovations
iTop Image credits:
Background,
truck inset: Julie Reinitzllowa Waste Reduction Center
-,,-._.".•.
--tire: Photodlsc;
.. -...
.,~
"--~---_.-~-
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Down with Road Dust
There are more than 3.9 million miles of roadway in the United States, according to the Federal Highway Administration,
and, depending on the area of the country you're in, as much as 70% of that road mileage is unpaved. The 1997 U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Air Quality and Emissions Trends Report states that those unpaved
roads-which can cover a wide range of compositions, from compacted dirt to shale/slate to gravel-are responsible for
more than 10 million tons of particulate matter emissions each year. Economic, logistical, and even aesthetic realities
indicate the impossibility of paving every mile of unpaved roadway in America. The goal, then, is to minimize the
generation and spread of dust particles.
To help control dust, road builders can either mix something into the roadway as it's built or they can apply something after
the facl, but many traditional dust suppressants have serious flaws. One new approach is Dust Stop, a proprietary
formulation of natural starches produced by the Canadian firm Cypher International that may prove both healthier and more
.effective than traditional suppressants.
The Trouble with Dust
A 1993 U.S. Department of Transportation study by civil engineering professor Thomas Sanders and then-graduate
student Jonathan Addo of the Colorado State University cites a 1983 Forest Service estimate that for every vehicle
traveling one mile of unpaved roadway once a day, every day for a year, one ton of dust is deposited along a corridor
extending 500 feet out on either side of the median. In the 1 December 1999 issue of Environmental Science &
' - _ Technology, Ann Miguel and Glen Cass, environmental engineering professors at the California Institute of Technology,
~ identified at least 20 different human allergens, including molds and pollen, in dust stirred up from paved roads. Miguel
says results would be similar, if not worse, on unpaved roads, especially if it's a frequently traveled unpaved road in an
agricultural area, where pollens and other plant matter would be prevalent on roadways. Other substances found in lesser
amounts include rubber breakdown particles from tires and asbestos particles from brakes.
"Particles of the roadway itselfwill be continually ground smaller, until they approach the ten- to fifteen-micron danger size
where they can more easHy penetrate deep into the lungs," says Miguel. This is also the ideal size range for particles to
stay airborne for longer periods of time-larger than this, they tend to settle more quickly and are less of an immediate
hazard, although they are still subjed to the same grinding/regrinding phenomenon.
Particles larger than 2.5 microns can lodge in the upper respiratory area, where they may cause severe irritation. Effects
may be especially pronounced in infants, the elderly, and those with preexisting conditions such as asthma. Particles this
size may also be linked to some respiratory cancers.
Particles smaller than 2.5 microns go deeper into the lungs, where they can damage epithelial cells and even pass into the
bloodstream. ·Small dust particles, some of which may derive from ... dust as well as combustion sources, have even
been found in the heart material of some subject animals," says John Watson, a research professor in the division of
atmospheric sciences at Nevada's Desert Research Institute. Dust particles this small can elude all but the most
specialized of filters. So those who live near unpaved roads aren't the only people at risk from these particles-vehicle
passengers also are exposed, even if they ride with their windows rolled up.
Some studies indicate that human health isn' the only thing that suffers in the dispersion of road dust. Watson points out
that near unsurfaced roads, plants are typically dusty, and anecdotal evidence suggests that crop yields can be reduced.
According to a 1996 technical report by the U.S. Army titled Dust Control Material Performance on Unsurfaced Roadways
and Tank Trails, dust on leaf surfaces increases leaf temperatures and water loss, and deaeases carbon dioxide uptake.
This may make vegetation susceptible to chronic deaeases in photosynthesis and growth, eventually leading to
accelerated erosion in areas such as roadsides from lack of adequate stabilizing vegetation.
And the dust impacls not only the air, but the water as well, as it settles into nearby streams and rivers. In February 2000.
researchers led by biology professor Dennis Murphy of the University of Nevada, Reno, released an assessment of
California's Lake Tahoe citing a 3Q-year decline in clarity from 102 feet to 66 feet. Much of the problem was attributed to
increased algal growth triggered by atmospheric deposition of phosphorus compounds associated in part with road dust.
http://www.ehponline.orglmembers/2003/111-16/innovations.html
7/1/2007
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United States
~~=~mental Protection
Office of Air Quality Plann'lng and Standards
Health Effects of Particle Pollution
• Many scientific studies have linked breathing particle
pollution to a series of significant health problems,
including:
- Aggravated asthma
- Increases in respiratory symptoms like coughing and difficult or
painful breathing
- Chronic bronchitis
- Decreased lung function
- Premature death in people with heart and lung disease
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