Lead Contamination in the Belledune Area:Past and Present

Prepared by

Inka Milewski

Conservation Council of New Brunswick

October 2003

Why look at lead contamination now?

• The impacts of lead on human health, particularly children, are very well known

• Lead, cadmium, arsenic and zinc contamination in the Belledune area is well-known – 2.7 million pounds of lead alone have been released into the air between 1974 and 2002

• The extent of lead and other metal contamination in Belledune and its impact on local residents is not well known

• Health and environmental impacts of existing industries should be known before any new industrial pollutants are released

History of Lead Air Emissions from the Belledune Smelter (1975-2002)1

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

200000

1974 1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001

kg/

year

1All data for this presentation was collected by Noranda and submitted to Department of Environment and Local Government.

Lead and other metals have also been discharged into local waters from the smelter waste water treatment plant

Total lead air emissions 2.7 million pounds

Lead Levels in Soils in the Belledune Area 2002

Location Lead (mg/kg)

Smelter – 1 km west 8000

Belledune Point - 1 km northeast 2200

Chalmers - 2.4 km southeast 1575

Smearer’s Shore - 3.2 km southeast 125

Spence – 7.1 km southeast 8000

Jacquet River - 14.5 km west southwest

35

Canadian Council of Environment Ministers (CCME) Environmental Quality Guidelines

Lead

Agricultural 70 mg/kg

Residential 140

Industrial 600

Less than 50 mg/kg

100 – 500 mg/kg

500 – 1000 mg/kg

1000 – 2000 mg/kg

Over 2000 mg/kg

Lead levels in soils (2002)

Lead levels in soil samples (collected 1 km west of the smelter)

1975 - 2002

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001

mg/kg dry weight

1CCME Environmental Quality Guidelines

Industrial sites 600 mg/kg

1Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (2002)

Lead Levels in Soil Samples (collected at Chalmer’s - 2.4 km southeast of the smelter)

1975-2002

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

1976 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001

mg

/kg

dry

wei

gh

t CCME Environmental Quality Guidelines

Agricultural 70 mg/kg

Residential sites 140 mg/kg

11966 background levels: average 17.5 mg/kg

1Boyle et al. (1966) Geochemistry of Pb, Zn, Cu, As, Sb, Mo, Sn, W, Ag, Ni, Co, Cr, Ba, and Mn in the waters and stream sediments of the Bathurst-Jacquet River District, New Brunswick

Lead levels in soil samples (collected at Smearer’s Shore - 3.2 km southeast of smelter)

1985-2002

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

mg

/kg

(p

a rts

per

mil l

ion

) d

ry w

eig

ht CCME Environmental Quality Guidelines

Agricultural guidelines 70 mg/kg

Residential guidelines 140 mg/kg

1966 background levels 17.5 mg/kg

Lead Levels in Soil Samples (collected 7.1 km southeast in Pointe-Verte)

1975-2002

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

1977 1980 1983 1986 1989 1992 1995 1998 2001

mg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t

CCME Environmental Quality Guidelines

Agricultural guidelines 70 mg/kg

Residential guidelines 140 mg/kg

1966 background levels 17.5 mg.kg

How does lead move from the air, soil and water to wildlife and humans?

• Lead binds to dust, soil and dirt which can be inhaled or ingested, particularly by children who have a lot of hand-to-mouth activity (adults will absorb 10% of metals while children will absorb 50%)

• Through the food chain – for example, produce or grasses grown in contaminated soil can take up lead; contaminated grasses could be eaten by wildlife which in turn can be eaten by humans

• Freshwater and marine life can also be route of exposure to lead contamination

Lead Levels in First Growth Forage (Grasses) in the Belledune area 2002

Location Lead (mg/kg

Dry weight)

Smelter – 1 km west 480

Belledune Point - 1 km northeast 78

Chalmers - 2.4 km southeast 47

Smearer’s Shore - 3.2 km southeast 20

Spence – 7.1 km southeast 7

Jacquet River - 14.5 km west southwest

9

U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) Standard for Forage Crops is 0.2 mg/kg

Less than 0.2 mg/kg

0.2 – 1.0 mg/kg

1.0 – 10 mg/kg

10 – 100 mg/kg

Over 100 mg/kg

Lead levels in grasses (2002)

Lead Concentrations in First Growth Forage (Grasses) (Samples collected 0.2 km west of the smelter)

1973-2002

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

1975 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002

mg

/kg

dry

we

igh

t

0.2 mg/kg maximum level set by International Standards1

1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

Lead Concentrations in First Growth Forage (Grasses) (Samples collected at Smearers’ Shore - 3.2 km sourtheast of the smelter)

1973-2002

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

1975 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002

mg

/kg

dry

wei

gh

t

0.2 mg/kg maximum level set by International Standards1

1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

Lead Concentrations in First Growth Forage (Grasses) (Samples collected 7.1 km southeast in Pointe-Verte)

1973-2002

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

1975 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002

mg

/kg

dry

wei

gh

t

1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

0.2 mg/kg maximum level set by International Standards1

Lead Concentrations in Vegetables collected in Belledune 2002

Location Lead Concentration (mg/kg wet weight)

Beans Carrots Potatoes Lettuce Strawberries

Southwest 1.6 km 3.2 (2001 sample)

Southeast1.9 km 0.9 0.5

East southeast 2.3 km 0.5 0.4 6.3

South southwest 7.7 km 0.26 0.26 0.5

East southeast 6.8 km 1.3 0.4 2.6

North northwest 10 km 0.3 0.2 1.5

West southwest 10 km 0.4 0.4 1.4

West northwest 15 km 0.83 0.93 0.86

South 33 km 0.73

(2002 ample)

Lead Concentrations in Vegetables (collected 1.9 km southeast of smelter)

1973-2003

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

1975 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002

mg

/kg

wet

wei

gh

t

potatoes

carrots

lettuce

beans

FAO/WHO Standards1

0.1 mg/kg for carrots, potatoes and lettuce

0.2 mg/kg for beans

1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1975 1977 1979 1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993

mg

/kg

we

t w

eig

ht

potatoes

carrots

lettuce

beans

Lead Concentrations in Vegetables (collected 7.1 km east southeast of smelter)

1974-1994

FAO/WHO Standards1

0.1 mg/kg for carrots, potatoes and lettuce

0.2 mg/kg for beans

1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

Lead Concentrations in Vegetables (collected 15 km west northwest of smelter)

1973-2003

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

1975 1978 1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002

mg

/kg

we

t w

eig

ht

potatoes

carrots

lettuce

beans

FAO/WHO Standards1

0.1 mg/kg for carrots, potatoes and lettuce

0.2 mg/kg for beans

1United Nation’s Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) 2003

Lead Concentrations in Wild Mussels Collected in the Belledune Area 2002

Location Lead

(large mussels) mg/kg

Culligan’s Pt (4 km west) 0.76

Chapel Pt (at the smelter) 52

Chalmers (2 km east) 25.8

Smearer’s (3 km east) 13.3

Park Road (5 km east) 5.7

Maritime Motel (7km east) 2.8

United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) National Guidelines For Shellfish

Lead

Level of Concern for pregnant women 1.7 mg/kg

Less than 0.5 mg/kg

0.5 – 1.0 mg/kg

1.0 – 5 mg/kg

5 – 10 mg/kg

Over 10 mg/kg

Lead levels in Mussels (2002)

Lead Concentrations in Wild Mussels (collected at Culligan’s, 4 km west of smelter)

1981-2002

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

mg

/kg

0.75 mg/kg - lead concentration in wild mussels from N.B. Bay of Fundy1

1 Chase et al. (1998) Gulfwatch (Gulf of Maine mussel monitoring program ) Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment

US FDA Level of Concern for pregnant women 1.7 mg/kg

Lead Concentrations in Wild Mussels (collected at Chalmers, 2 km east of smelter)

1988-2002

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1990 1993 1996 1999 2002

mg

/kg

0.75 mg/kg - lead concentration in wild mussels from N.B. Bay of Fundy1

US FDA Level of Concern for pregnant women 1.7 mg/kg

Lead Concentrations in Wild Mussels (collected at Park Road, 5 km east of smelter)

1981-2002

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

mg

/kg

0.75 mg/kg - lead concentration in wild mussels from N.B. Bay of Fundy1

US FDA Level of Concern for pregnant women 1.7 mg/kg

Lead Concentrations in Wild Mussels (collected 7 km east of smelter)

1988-2002

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002

mg

/kg

0.75 mg/kg - lead concentration in wild mussels from N.B. Bay of Fundy1

US FDA Level of Concern for pregnant women 1.7 mg/kg

Cadmium Levels in Lobsters from the Belledune area 2002

Location Cadmium

Uncooked Lobster Digestive

Gland

Mg/kg wet weight

Cadmium

Cooked Lobster Meat

Mg/kg wet weight

Heron Island (Control)

5.21 0.02

Harbour West 7.7 0.05

Harbour east 10.24 0.07

I km west 6.02 0.02

1 km east 8.23 0.03

4 km east 7.18 0.03

Petit Rocher 6.47 0.03

United States Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) National Guidelines For Shellfish

Cadmium

3.7 mg/kg - Level of Concern

Cadmium levels in uncooked digestive gland of lobsters

1981-2002

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001

mg

/kg

we

t w

eig

ht

Harbour WestHarbour East4 km eastPetit Rocher

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1999 2001

mg

/kg

we

t w

eig

ht

Harbour WestHarbour East

Cadmium levels in uncooked digestive gland of lobsters

1981-2002

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1991 1993 1995 1997 1998 2000 2002

mg

/kg

we

t w

eig

ht

Yarmouth4 km eastPetit Rocher

Cadmium levels in uncooked digestive gland of lobsters

1981-2002

Yarmouth (Outer Bay of Fundy) 5.1 mg/kg

Summary• There are year to year inconsistency in the data which raise

questions about the reliability of the results • Soils, grasses and vegetables have high lead levels; lead in

mussels are also high relative to other areas in New Brunswick

• The size of the area impacted by lead pollution has not been clearly defined

• By all national and international standards, lead contamination is a serious problem in the Belledune area

• The past, present and future impact of lead contamination on the environment, humans and wildlife in the Belledune area have not been examined

What needs to be done?• Independent monitoring of soils, vegetation, garden

produce, drinking water and shellfish to verify and determine extent of contamination

• Independent blood lead screening for children to determine the risks of learning disabilities and health disorders (Health Canada suggests “routine blood lead testing” in areas

where there are “ongoing problems of soil contamination from a smelter”) • Independent community health study to assess the

incidence of health effects known to be associated with exposure to lead, as well as cadmium and arsenic

• A clean-up plan and timetable for removing contaminated soil