THE NEWS FROM BAJA ARIZONA
GREEN VALLEY
MINE POLLUTION BENEFITS SENIOR CITIZENS
(A TRUE STORY)
According to the Arizona Daily Star edition of February 6, 2005:
"Seepage from an unlined waste pond at Phelps Dodge's Sierrita mine has sent a plume of tainted groundwater toward Green Valley and caused two drinking water wells to record high levels of sulfates."
"Sulfates aren't considered a health threat by the federal government. But the minerals contribute to the hardness of water and medical experts say that at high doses they may have a temporary laxative effect."
Green Valley, for those not familiar with Baja Arizona cities and towns, is a large retirement community located about 20 miles south of Tucson.
In fact, most of the developments in Green Valley are age restricted meaning people under 50 or 55 cannot even live there.
So what do we have here?
A mine polluting the drinking water of a town full of old people with a chemical that is a laxative.
Is this actually bad?
Scientist from the General Delivery University report that constipation is a very common problem among those over 55.
Thus the sulfate pollution might actually be a benefit in Green Valley.
