EARTH DAY 2008 EXPOSE: TOXIC METAL MENACE - April 22, 2008 The adverse effects of global warming are quickly becoming public knowledge. Climate change is mostly due to burning large amounts of fossil fuels; especially coal. Fossil fuel combustion also releases many toxic elements; this has not been duly recognized. The pollution part of global warming also has adverse effects: chronic toxic element exposure can be responsible for many illnesses. Since 1850, total global coal combustion was 200 billion tons. Historically, this equates to 400 tons of coal per square kilometer of earth's surface. Present global combustion is 5.3 billion tons annually; 10 tons per square kilometer. Coal use is mostly for electricity production. Present coal use annually: USA 1.2 billion; India/China 1.8 billion; Australia 600 million and Canada 60 million. Toxic elements released by coal combustion were reported in 1977 for USA (Vouk and Piver, Environmental Health Perspectives, 1983). Beryllium (25 parts per million (ppm), cadmium (4ppm), nickel (15ppm), antimony (4ppm), and arsenic (27ppm) are all carcinogenic as well as causing other health problems. Aluminum (6,000ppm), barium (300ppm), lead (15ppm), mercury (0.2 ppm), and others are toxic metals with a variety of ill effects. Uranium (5ppm) and thorium (2.5 ppm) are radioactive and thereby carcinogenic by nature. Elemental release locally and globally would depend on coal composition and environmental control. The polluting elemental particles released by coal combustion are air born and settle on the earth's water and land surfaces, obviously in greater concentration near combustion sites. All particles can be subject to the effects of winds, which could carry them in global air current patterns. Toxic metals can enter watersheds and concentrate up the food chain. Cape Breton Island is often noted as one of the most beautiful in the world. Its historical coal combustion was 100 million tons over the past century. The present annual combustion is around 3 million tons. This equates to 10,000 tons per km2 historically; 300 tons/km2 annually. In addition, Atlantic Canada has been subject to wind drift from New England and Mid Atlantic USA whose combined combustion is 100 million tons annually, several billion tons historically. Could the toxic elements released by coal combustion be partly responsible for the high cancer and cardiovascular disease levels on this beautiful island? Geomatic Health research is needed. Global tire wear is another important source of several toxic metals polluting our blue planet. In particular, the toxic metal cadmium is released into the atmosphere as tires wear. Each day 10 billion tires wear around the globe! Highway paint containing lead is also a source of this very toxic metal. Many jurisdictions in Canada and around the world continue to pollute our environment on a regular basis with this paint. More awareness, attention and research is needed regarding these unrecognized sources of toxic metals which continue to pollute our precious but precarious planet. Dr. C. Ben Boucher, BSc, MD www.thewellnesscentre.com