Aerially Deposited Lead is Killing Our Environment
Removing ADL for Malibu, California Trancas Creek Bridge Replacement Project
Most of the population has heard of the negative effects that lead can have, but most do not know that the use of lead in engines produces harmful exhaust fumes that coat our roadways, our drinking supply and negatively impacts our air quality. If not addressed now, these hazards will continue to serve as a major factor in environmental pollution and poor health in our communities.
Starting in the 1920s, inventors thought they had found the solution to every mechanical issue within the transportation community by adding lead into gasoline with the slogan to knock out the knocks in engines. This continued into the 1970s when finally, the EPA started to phase it out due to the catastrophic health and environmental impacts lead emissions were having on the community.
Unfortunately, this discovery came many years too late as scientists conclude that lead emissions “exposure accounted for 900,000 deaths and 21.7 million years of healthy life lost (disability-adjusted life years, or DALYs) worldwide due to long-term effects on health in 2019” (WHO,2021) and warn that “if not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from damage to the brain and nervous system, behavior and learning problems (such as hyperactivity), slowed growth, hearing problems, and headaches” (DTSC, 2016).
Scientists warn the public that “lead is a serious contributor to environmental pollution that accounts for a quarter of the global burden of disease”(UNEP, 2022) and while the ban on leaded fuel has long passed, it is still being used in aviation travel and further EPA studies show that “360,000 children under the age of 5 live near at least one of the airports where piston-engine aircraft operate. Multiple additional studies have shown that children living near such airports have higher levels of lead in their blood”(Wittenberg,2022).
As part of Summit’s ongoing efforts to support the modernization of the nation’s transportation system, we have removed 50,000 tons of ADL in the past 3 years. Together we can utilize the one trillion-dollar infrastructure bill to maximize the opportunity to provide a safer community and ensure a cleaner environment for our children.
This is our call-to-action CEO and Founder Dave Aronne at Summit Environmental Contractors (SEC) says. He explains that “SEC is hard at work eliminating the source of lead contamination from our nation’s transportation system. To accomplish this goal, we need your help”.
Summit hard at work removing 1,500 tons of contaminated soil from Malibu, California to protect our beaches and the public from toxic materials. By removing this toxic material, contractors can safely expand the bridge and reduce the hazards of ADL from our environment. This is the start of a healthier future!
