A giant sinkhole in Mulberry, Florida has been leaking radioactive water into the Floridian aquifer system for almost a month with no end in sight. The worst part? The company responsible for the giant sinkhole neglected to inform the public until just recently.
Details on the sinkhole
The sinkhole is located at a fertilizer plant in Mulberry, Florida owned by Mosaic, a phosphate mining company. The sinkhole is approximately 45 feet in diameter and estimated to be over 300 feet deep. To date, thåe sinkhole has leaked over 215 million gallons of contaminated water into the aquifer which runs 300 feet below the surface.
What’s leaking?
The water leaking out of the sinkhole, and into the aquifer, is radioactive thanks to its contact with phosphogypsum. Phosphogypsum is a radioactive material created as a by-product from the use of phosphates in making fertilizer. Many mining companies utilize phosphogypsum to contain radioactive material and keep it from leaking into the air. However, what is stopping it from leaking into the water?
Residents’ concern
Obviously, residents in the Mulberry area are concerned, and rightfully so. The aquifer that has been reached by the radioactive spill is a source of drinking water for millions of Floridians. It also provides clean water for recreational activities. Many residents are worried about the safety of their everyday drinking water. TV news stations report that nearby residents have resorted to drinking bottled water because they don’t trust what could be coming out of their taps. They don’t want to take any chances.
Company response
Mosaic admits that workers first discovered the sinkhole and knew of its radioactive leakage at the end of August. However, they decided not to go public with this information as they felt the radioactive water did not pose any threat to the public. Mosaic claims they took the appropriate legal action upon discovery of the sinkhole.
In attempts to clean up their mess, Mosaic has implemented a number of new regimes. They are pumping contaminated water back up through on-site wells, monitoring and sampling groundwater, and working to recover water that has drained. Mosaic claims that through their testing they have found no off-site impacts. David Jellerson, an environmental engineer with Mosaic, attested to this fact by telling reporters that the water from the aquifer is safe to drink and will remain safe to drink. Mosaic is even offering free water safety tests to residents who remain weary.
Government response
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) confirmed that Mosaic took the appropriate steps to investigate the problem and implemented the best corrective action. The FDEP has committed to making frequent site visits to the New Wales facility where the sinkhole is located to monitor the progress of the clean up. Both the FDEP and the US Environmental Protection Agency were notified by Mosaic when the sinkhole was discovered. So why didn’t anyone bother to tell the public until almost a month later? If the water really is safe, why all the secrecy?