Tuesday, October 21, 2008

City poisons our waters while fixing potholes

A material used to patch potholes leaks 240,000 gallons of environmentally toxic fuel oil every year onto New York City's streets, industry sources told The Post.

The diesel or other toxic oil - key ingredients in the blacktop material known as "cold patch" - separates as the material hardens, and then leaches into the soil, is washed off into sewers or rivers, or evaporates into the air, according to paving-industry publications.


Patch for potholes is poison

"You're talking about an extraordinary amount of diesel fuel," said Ralph Avallone, president of the International Green Energy Council environmental-education group.

"It's not healthy for our children. It's not healthy for our animals. It's not healthy for our planet."

Although cold patch has long been used to fill potholes, there have been no studies on the health impact of its extensive fuel runoff.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

It's no wonder, NYC is among the most toxic cities in the world. If you don't know the water in NYC is fluoridated with a waste product from fertilizer manufacturing. Nassau and Suffolk counties have protested and have abolished fluoridation of the drinking water.