Regarding the Feb. 12 article “CPA eyes Lake Warner phosphorus cleanup” I was very disappointed that in a community situated near so many institutions of higher learning, the choice may be made to put a chemical containing a high earth mineral into Lake Warner. Phoslock contains approximately 5% of lanthanum, a rare earth mineral that is used in battery electrodes, glass, and petroleum production. Studies show lanthanum can accumulate in snails, trout, turtles, freshwater crustaceans and mollusks, and can affect females in these species ability to produce offspring. It can accumulate in the organs of fish. In addition, when lanthanum combines with phosphorus, it creates rhabdophane, a radioactive rare earth mineral. Rhabdophane is found in nuclear waste.
Do we really want this stuff on the bottom of Lake Warner? Wouldn’t it make more sense for the town of Hadley to put money into helping farmers transition their farms to organic farming?
Elizabeth E. Powers
Northampton