Researchers find 7,300-mile ring of mercury around tar sands in Canada

[G_j]

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/12/29/7-500-mile-ring-ofmercuryfoundaroundcanadastarsands.html

by Peter Moskowitz @PeterMoskowitz December 29, 2013 11:15PM ET

Bitumen in the tar sands being excavated to produce oil is the likely culprit of the mercury deposits

Scientists have found a nearly 7,500-square-mile ring of land and water contaminated by mercury surrounding the tar sands in Alberta, where energy companies are producing oil and shipping it throughout Canada and the U.S.

Government scientists are preparing to publish a report that found levels of mercury are up to 16 times higher around the tar-sand operations — principally due to the excavation and transportation of bitumen in the sands by oil and gas companies, according to Postmedia-owned Canadian newspapers like The Vancouver Sun.

Environment Canada researcher Jane Kirk recently presented the findings at a toxicology conference in Nashville, Tenn.

The revelations add to growing concerns over the environmental impact of mining the tar sands. Many environmentalists charge that extracting oil from the sands will lead to an increase in carbon emissions, the destruction of the land, water contamination and health problems for Canadians. The debate over the tar sands crossed over into the United States when energy company TransCanada proposed building the Keystone XL pipeline to transport crude oil to the southeastern U.S. for refining and distribution.

Kirk and her colleagues' research shows that the development of the tar sands may be responsible for spreading mercury — which can cause nervous-system damage — far beyond the areas where drilling and transportation are taking place.

The research suggests that the tar-sand development has created a ring of mercury contamination, with areas close to the sands showing much higher levels of mercury than before development.

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[oldandhappy]

1. Thank you for this

Appreciate your researching, finding, and reposting this information.

[WillyT]

2. K & R !!!

[2naSalit]

3. This area is also dangerously close to

the preserves set up for the wood bison range and the national park, up river and contaminating the water, soil and air these animals use. So we can probably see a major decline in their population. I noticed this in one of those videos that shows the scale of the operations in that province and saw bison on one side of a fence and the hellhole of tar sands operations on the other.

If this isn't stopped, there will be nothing left for any living thing to eat, breathe, drink or exist on.

I'm not holding my breath hoping to see that change in my lifetime.

[G_j]

6. not hopeful

we seem to be moving backwards..

[RainDog]

4. k&r n/t

[malaise]

5. What the fugging fugg?

Rec

[G_j]

7. Scientists find a 7500 square mile "bulls eye" of mercury contamination around the tar sands

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/12/30/1266102/-Scientists-find-approximate-7500-mile-ring-of-Mercury-around-the-tar-sands?detail=email

[DirkGently]

8. KN-whatasurprise-R