Title: Mosaic Aims to Use Phosphogypsum to Build Roads in Florida Amidst Health Risk Concerns
A Florida company, Mosaic, is working on a new project that entails using phosphogypsum, a byproduct produced during phosphate mining, to construct roads. Although the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave the project approval, many environmentalists are calling it a disaster waiting to happen.
Phosphogypsum gets its radioactivity from phosphate rock, which is dissolved in acid to extract the valuable mineral. The radionuclides, including naturally-occurring uranium and radium, lead to the emission of radon, an odorless and radioactive gas, which can pose severe health risks to those who come into contact with it. Health experts believe prolonged exposure to high levels of radon can significantly increase the risk of lung cancer.
Federal regulators have typically discouraged the use of phosphogypsum in construction due to concerns it could expose people to higher risk of radon exposure and possibly lead to cancers. The Environmental Protection Agency originally prohibited its use in building projects in 1992. Today, only it is permitted in certain limited research and agricultural use cases under specified conditions and authorization.
Environmental group, the Center for Biological Diversity, argues EPA’s decision disregards safety by allowing radioactive materials be used for an application such as road construction that could create unnecessary risks to its workers, passers-by and water quality.
The Phosphogypsum-producing company Mosaic claims this strategy could lead to cost-effective transportation infrastructure with minimized waste production since the phosphate mineral is more valued than rock it is found upon.
State politicians have supported exploring alternative use with a Florida’s law approved phosporphyllum inclusion and the study under the State department of Transportation review. But further action could hinder the mass exploitation of radioactive-phosphogypsum for this practical application.
Following the change-of-government and administrations, we face uncertainty surrounding federal approval’s position on large use of the project.