DNREC's Latest Outrage

The people of Claymont Delaware might be the most long suffering in the state of Delaware:

For years, residents who live near the 87-year-old [steel] mill have complained about the metallic dust that rains down on their homes and cars. In late 2005 and the first nine months of 2006, Delaware's Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control received more than 100 complaints about the dust, which can be gathered with a magnet.

Let's pause on that last thought. Dust so thick you can gather it with a magnet.

"Global Community Monitor, a San Francisco environmental nonprofit that helps communities monitor neighborhoods," studied the situation and issued a report. Their “preliminary” results?

A preliminary report measuring specific air pollutants near the Claymont Steel mill confirms what some residents have long suspected: Metallic soot that settles every day on cars, windows and porches might be hazardous to their health.

The News Journal's “might be” seems overly cautious given the known health risks:

Data indicated that residents who live near the mill "may have increased risk of health effects" associated with chronic exposure to manganese and lead.

Manganese exposure can cause damage to the nervous system with symptoms of fatigue, loss of memory and attention, concentration difficulty, nightmares, unusual sweating, sexual dysfunction and joint pain, the report says.

For years Claymont residents have complained about this dust to Delaware's DNREC (Division of Natural Resources and Enviornmental Control). DNREC's response has to be among the most laughable and outrageous in the annals of official sophistry in Delaware:

"When we complain, DNREC always says [the dust] is too heavy to breathe," said Jerry McCoy, who's lived near the steel mill for more than 30 years. "You can't have a lot of dust like that and not have dust that's left in the air that you can breathe."

Too heavy to breathe? Does DNREC have no shame?
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