Block · one region of the page, as the scanner read it. It may hold a whole story, part of one, several, or an advertisement; stitching blocks into articles is the next step. Text is supplied OCR.
Page 16 · column 1 of 6 · from the scan, no model involved
The fire several weeks ago in a shed that held orchard spray materials raised the consciousness level of Rappahannock residents to the potential dangers posed by agricultural chemicals.
Alarmed by the discovery of 55 gallon drums and 50 pound sacks in the burning ruin, fire fighters called for expert advice and battled the blaze with sand, rolling the fire
hoses back onto the tankers. The materials stored in the shed proved to be relatively harmless and nontoxic, but the fire fighters didn’t know that. And if they had been
dealing with poisons, their quick thinking would have prevented dangerous chemical run-off which could have polluted nearby ponds and groundwater.
The volunteer firemen took the prudent, safe approach, as do most who- work with agricultural and horticultural chemicals known to be
toxic. But what about the chemicals in kitchens, garages and basements? The paint removers, used motor oil, outdated medicines, flea collars, mothballs, roach sprays and no-pest strips?
Too often, when Rappahannock residents call the Health Department for advice, they’re-told: “Wrap it in newspaper. Put it in a plastic
bag and take it to the landfill” or “Household hazardous wastes are exempt from hazardous waste regulations, so they can go to the county dump.”
That answer is not environmentally sound, even if it does come from the “experts.” Those who are concerned about the effect these buried poisons may have, particularly
on water quality, continue to store half empty containers, cluttering the corners of their kitchen cabinets, garden sheds, garages and bams. They wait for the day when Virginia will have a commercial hazardous waste disposal facility. It could be a long wait.
And in the meantime, those who dispose of hazardous wastes improperly run the risk of contaminating groundwater—the source of drinking water for Rappahannock residents and most rural Virginians. To reduce that risk, follow the suggestions
on the accompanying charts, taken from the Piedmont Environmental Council’s newsletter on waste disposal.
91.9%