Usonkontileka ombayo uLuisier waqala ukumba umthombo ojulile endaweni ka-Andrea Maxwell e-Peshtigo ngoDisemba 1, 2022. I-Tyco Fire Products inikeza izinsiza zamahhala zokumba kubanikazi bezindlu njengesixazululo esingaba khona sokungcoliswa kwe-PFAS ezindaweni zabo. Ezinye izakhamuzi ziyangabaza futhi zikhetha ezinye izindlela zokusebenzisa amanzi okuphuza aphephile. Isithombe sihlonishwa yi-Tyco/Johnson Controls
Umthombo wekhaya lakhe e-Peshtigo useduze nesikole sakwaMarinette sokucisha umlilo, lapho amakhemikhali ayesetshenziswa ngaphambilini kugwebu lokucisha umlilo engene emanzini angaphansi komhlaba ngokuhamba kwesikhathi. I-Tyco Fire Products, ephethe lesi sikhungo, ihlole imithombo ecishe ibe yi-170 endaweni ye-PFAS (eyaziwa nangokuthi “amakhemikhali ahlala njalo”).
Abalawuli kanye nongoti bezempilo bazwakalise ukukhathazeka ngezinkulungwane zamakhemikhali okwenziwa njengoba exhunyaniswe nezinkinga zempilo ezingathi sína, ezihlanganisa umdlavuza wezinso namasende, isifo segilo kanye nezinkinga zokuzala. I-PFAS noma i-perfluoroalkyl kanye nezinto ze-polyfluoroalkyl aziwoli kahle endaweni ezungezile.
Ngo-2017, iTyco yabika amazinga aphezulu e-PFAS emanzini angaphansi komhlaba kubalawuli bakahulumeni okokuqala ngqa. Ngonyaka olandelayo, izakhamuzi zamangalela inkampani ngokungcolisa amanzi okuphuza, futhi kwafinyelelwa isinxephezelo esingu-$17.5 million ngo-2021. Kule minyaka emihlanu edlule, uTyco unikeze izakhamuzi amanzi asemabhodleleni nezinhlelo zokuhlanza izindlu.
Ukubuka okusemoyeni kukasonkontileka omba umthombo ojulile endaweni ka-Andrea Maxwell e-Peshtigo ngoDisemba 1, 2022. I-Tyco Fire Products inikeza izinsiza zamahhala zokumba kubanikazi bezindlu njengesixazululo esingaba khona ekungcoleni kwe-PFAS ezindaweni zabo Ezinye izakhamuzi zasedolobheni ziyakungabaza lokhu. inketho bese ukhetha ezinye izindlela eziphephile kunamanzi okuphuza. Isithombe sihlonishwa yi-Tyco/Johnson Controls
Izazi zemvelo zithi kwezinye izimo, kodwa hhayi zonke, imithombo ejulile ingaxazulula inkinga yokungcoliswa kwePFAS. Lawa makhemikhali angakwazi ukungena ngisho nasemanzini angaphansi komhlaba ajulile, futhi akuwona wonke umthombo wamanzi ajulile onganikeza amanzi okuphuza aphephile futhi aqhubekayo ngaphandle kokwelashwa okumba eqolo. Kepha njengoba imiphakathi eminingi ithola ukuthi amazinga e-PFAS emanzini abo okuphuza kungenzeka angaphephile, eminye ibheka nokuthi imithombo ejulile ingaba yini impendulo. Edolobheni eliseningizimu-ntshonalanga yeWisconsin eCampbell e-Ile de France, izivivinyo ezenziwa ngo-2020 zabonisa amazinga aphezulu e-PFAS emithonjeni yangasese. Idolobha manje selizomba umthombo wokuhlola emgodini ojulile wesifunda ukuze libone ukuthi ungaba yini umthombo ophephile wamanzi okuphuza.
Enyakatho-mpumalanga yeWisconsin, uTyco ubhekene namacala amaningi ahlobene nokungcoliswa kwePFAS. Ngasekuqaleni kwalo nyaka, uMnyango Wezobulungiswa waseWisconsin umangalele uJohnson Controls kanye nenkampani engaphansi kwayo iTyco ngokwehluleka ukubika amazinga aphezulu e-PFAS emanzini angaphansi kombuso iminyaka. Izikhulu zenkampani zithi zikholelwa ukuthi ukungcola kuphelele endaweni yaseTyco, kanti abagxeki bathi wonke umuntu uyazi ngokugeleza kwamanzi angaphansi komhlaba.
“Ingabe kukhona okungenziwa ngokushesha? Angazi. Kungenzeka,” kusho uMaxwell. “Ngabe ukungcola kusazoba khona? Yebo. Izohlala ikhona futhi benza konke okusemandleni ukuyihlanza njengamanje.”
Akubona bonke abahlali abathintwe ukungcola kwePFAS abavumelana noMaxwell. Cishe abantu abayishumi nambili basayine incwadi yezikhalazo becela izakhamizi zedolobhana elisenyakatho-mpumalanga yeWisconsin ukuthi zijoyine iMarinette eseduze ukuze bathole amanzi edolobha. Abanye bakhetha ukuthenga amanzi edolobheni lasePeshtigo noma bazakhele izindawo zabo zokusebenzisa amanzi edolobheni.
UTyco kanye nabaholi bamadolobha sekuphele iminyaka bexoxa ngezinto abangakhetha kuzo, futhi izinhlangothi zombili zithi kuze kube manje izingxoxo zehlulekile ukufinyelela esivumelwaneni ngesixazululo esihlala njalo senkinga yamanzi.
Lokhu kuwa, uTyco waqala ukunikeza izinkontileka zemithombo ejulile kubanikazi bezindlu ukuze bahlole inzalo yabo. Ingxenye yabamukeli, noma izakhamizi ezingama-45, zibhalisele izivumelwano, kusho inkampani. Ngaphansi kwesivumelwano, iTyco izomba imithombo emanzini ajulile futhi ifake amasistimu okuhlala ukuze athambise amanzi futhi ahlanze amazinga aphezulu e-radium nokunye ukungcola okukhona emanzini ajulile angaphansi komhlaba. Ukuhlolwa kahle endaweni kubonise amazinga e-radium cishe izikhathi ezintathu kuya kweziyisithupha ngaphezu kwezindinganiso zamanzi okuphuza zikahulumeni nezombuso.
“Kuyinhlanganisela yobuchwepheshe obususa lezi zakhi zemvelo ngempumelelo enkulu kuyilapho kugcinwa ikhwalithi nokunambitha kwamanzi,” kusho uCathy McGinty, uMqondisi Wokusimama kwaJohnson Controls.
Ukubuka okusemoyeni kwesikhungo sokuqeqesha iTyco Fire eMarinette. I-DNR ithe banemininingwane ekhombisa ukuthi amanzi angcolile aqukethe i-PFAS aqhamuka ezikhungweni zokuqeqesha. Lawa makhemikhali aziwa ngokuthi anqwabelana ezintweni eziqinile zebhayoloji ezikhiqizwa ezikhungweni zokukhuculula indle, abe esesatshalaliswa emikhakheni yezolimo. Isithombe sihlonishwa yi-Johnson Controls International
Ukuhlolwa akukhombisi i-PFAS ku-aquifer ejulile, ebuye isetshenziswe imiphakathi engomakhelwane njengomthombo wamanzi okuphuza ngaphandle kwendawo engcolile ezungeze isikole somlilo, kusho uMcGuinty. Kodwa-ke, ngokoMnyango Wezemvelo WaseWisconsin, eminye imithombo ejulile endaweni iqukethe amazinga aphansi enhlanganisela ye-PFAS. Le nhlangano iphinde yazwakalisa ukukhathazeka ngokuthi iPFAS ingangena emanzini ajulile.
Emiphakathini ethintekile yi-PFAS, i-DNR kudala yabona ukuthi ukuhlinzekwa kwamanzi kamasipala kuyindlela engcono kakhulu yamanzi okuphuza aphephile. Kodwa-ke, uKyle Burton, umqondisi wezokusebenza kwensimu ye-DNR, uthe i-ejensi ibonile ukuthi ezinye izakhamizi zikhetha imithombo ejulile, okungenzeka ibe yisixazululo sesikhathi eside. Uthe iTyco kanye noJohnson Controls banciphisa ubungozi bokungcola okuhlukahlukene kule miklamo yemithombo.
“Siyazi ukuthi (uJohnson Controls) wenze ngokukhulu ukucophelela lapho beklama imithombo ababecabanga ukuthi iyiyo, futhi besifuna ukukwazi ukuhlinzeka ngamanzi angenayo i-PFAS,” kusho uBurton. "Kodwa ngeke sazi kuze kube yilapho sihlola le mithombo endaweni isikhathi eside ukuze siqiniseke ukuthi akukho ukungcoliswa."
I-aquifer engaphansi ngokuvamile ivikelekile, kodwa uBurton uthe kungase kube nemifantu kwezinye izindawo ezingasongela ukungcola. I-Tyco and Johnson Controls izohlola imithombo ejulile njalo ngekota ye-PFAS nokunye ukungcola ukuze kuhlolwe ukusebenza kahle kwesistimu yokuhlanza onyakeni wokuqala wokufakwa. Ummeleli we-DNR angakwazi ke ukuhlola isidingo sokuqapha okungajwayelekile.
Umthombo ophansi wamanzi ungaba i-St. Pete Sandstone Formation noma i-aquifer yesifunda ngaphansi kwezingxenye ezimbili kwezintathu eziseningizimu yezwe. Ucwaningo lwango-2020 lwathola ukuthi amazinga e-radium emanzini omphakathi atholakala emanzini angaphansi komhlaba abelokhu enyuka kule minyaka engamashumi amabili edlule. Amanzi angaphansi komhlaba ajulile ahlangana namadwala isikhathi eside futhi ngenxa yalokho angaphansi kwamazinga aphezulu e-radium, kusho abacwaningi. Baphinde bathi kunengqondo ukucabanga ukuthi isimo siya ngokuba sibi kakhulu njengoba imithombo kamasipala imbiwe yajula ukuze kugwenywe ukungcolisa amanzi angaphansi komhlaba.
Ukugxila kwe-Radium kukhuphuke kakhulu engxenyeni esempumalanga yezwe, kodwa amazinga aphinde akhuphuka entshonalanga namaphakathi neWisconsin. Njengoba ukugxilisa ingqondo kukhula, imiphakathi noma abanikazi bezindlu abafisa ukusebenzisa i-aquifer njengomthombo wamanzi okuphuza bangase baphoqeleke ukuba bathathe ukwelashwa okwengeziwe, okungase kubize kakhulu.
Edolobheni lase-Peshtigo, i-Johnson Controls igcizelela ukuthi amanzi ahlangabezane nezindinganiso zamanzi zombuso, okuhlanganisa namazinga e-PFAS asanda kwamukelwa kahulumeni. Baphinde bathi bazothobela noma yiziphi izindinganiso ezintsha ezivela ku-DNR noma i-EPA, ezizoba ngaphansi kakhulu futhi zivikele kakhulu impilo yomphakathi.
Iminyaka engu-20, iTyco and Johnson Controls ihlele ukusevisa le mithombo. Bese kuba kumnikazi wendawo. Bazokhokhela isisombululo samanzi esisodwa kuphela kuso sonke isakhamuzi inkampani ecabanga ukuthi sithintekile.
Njengoba inqwaba yezakhamizi zamukele isicelo sikaTyco sokumba umgodi ojulile, akukho ukuvumelana ngokuthi lesi yisixazululo esingcono kakhulu. Emiphakathini ebhekene nokungcoliswa kwe-PFAS, impikiswano phakathi kwezakhamuzi igqamisa ubunkimbinkimbi benkinga kanye nenselelo yokufinyelela izixazululo ezamukelwa ngokuvamile.
NgoLwesihlanu, uJennifer usabalalise isicelo sokuthi agqugquzele ukwesekwa ukuze kuguqulwe izakhamizi zakuleli dolobha zibe iMarinette ukuze kutholakale amanzi edolobheni. Uthemba ukuthi uzoqoqa amasignesha anele ukuze awafake kuMkhandlu Wedolobha LaseMarinette ekupheleni kukaMashi, futhi uTyco ukhokhele uchwepheshe ukuze ameluleke ngenqubo yokuhlanganisa. Uma ukuhlanganiswa kwenzeka, inkampani ithe izokhokhela amapayipi amanzi futhi yenze isamba sokukhokha kubanikazi bezindlu nganoma yiziphi izintela ezikhushuliwe noma amanani amanzi ahlobene nenketho.
UJeff Lamont unomthombo ophuzayo ekhaya lakhe e-Peshtego, e-Wisconsin ngenxa yokungcoliswa kwe-PFAS kwamanzi ompompi. U-Angela Major/WPR
“Ngicabanga ukuthi sekwenziwe,” kusho uLwesihlanu. "Akudingeki ukhathazeke ngokungcoliswa okungenzeka, ukubhekwa njalo, udinga ukusebenzisa izinhlelo zokuhlanza nakho konke lokho."
Well Friday was in the pollue pollue and izivivinyo zibonise amazinga aphansi e-PFAS. Uthola amanzi asebhodleleni kuTyco, kodwa umndeni wakhe usasebenzisa amanzi omthombo ukupheka nokugeza.
USihlalo weDolobha lasePeshtigo uCindy Boyle uthe ibhodi licubungula enye indlela ekhethwa yi-DNR yokuthola amanzi aphephile ngezikhungo zomphakathi, kungaba semiphakathini yabo noma engomakhelwane.
"Ngokwenza lokhu, ihlinzeka ngokuqapha okuvikelekile ngeKhomishini Yezemisebenzi Kahulumeni ukuqinisekisa ukuthi izakhamizi ziphuza amanzi aphephile," kusho uBoyle.
Ubalule ukuthi idolobha laseMarinette njengamanje alizimisele ngokuhlinzeka ngamanzi ngaphandle kokubamba izakhamizi. UBoyle wengeze ngokuthi ukuthatha ezinye izakhamuzi kuzonciphisa isisekelo sentela yedolobha, wathi labo abahlala edolobheni bazobhekana nezindleko ezengeziwe zokuthola usizo. Abanye abantu basedolobheni baphinde baphikisana nokufakwa ngenxa yentela ephezulu, amanani aphezulu amanzi, kanye nemikhawulo yokuzingela noma ukushiswa kwehlathi.
Nokho kunokukhathazeka mayelana nezindleko zokwakhiwa kwesikhungo samanzi sakuleli dolobha. Okungcono kakhulu, izilinganiso zedolobha ziphakamisa ukuthi ingqalasizinda ingase ibize ngaphezu kwezigidi ezingu-91 zamaRandi ukuze kwakhiwe, kungafaki ukusebenza okuqhubekayo nokunakekelwa.
Kepha uBoyle waphawula ukuthi insiza izosebenzela izakhamizi hhayi kuphela ezindaweni inkampani ezibona zingcolile, kodwa nasezindaweni ezibanzi lapho i-DNR isampula ukungcola kwe-PFAS. UJohnson Controls noTyco banqabile ukuhlola lapho, bethi izinkampani azinacala ngokungcoliswa komoya endaweni.
UBoyle uvumile ukuthi izakhamuzi zikhungathekile ngesivinini senqubekela phambili futhi aziqiniseki ukuthi izinketho ezizihlolayo zingenzeka yini kubahlali noma Ikhomishini Yezemisebenzi Kahulumeni. Abaholi bamadolobha bathi abafuni abakhokhi bentela bathwale izindleko zokuhlinzeka ngamanzi aphephile ngokusebenzisa le nkampani.
“Isikhundla sethu namuhla siyafana nasekuqaleni,” kusho uBoyle. “Sifuna ukwenza konke esingakwenza ukuhlinzeka wonke umuntu ngamanzi okuphuza aphephile ngokuqhubekayo sikhokhela labo abathintekayo.”
Kodwa ezinye izakhamuzi, kuhlanganise noMaxwell, zakhathala ukulinda. Lesi ngesinye sezizathu ezenza bathande izixazululo ezijulile zemithombo.
Ngemibuzo noma ukuphawula, sicela uthinte Ukusekela Abalaleli Be-WPR ku-1-800-747-7444, i-imeyili ku- listener@wpr.org, noma usebenzise Ifomu Lempendulo Yabalaleli.
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Isikhathi sokuthumela: Dec-21-2022