Study Reveals Eastern PA Cancer Clusters (Scranton, Butler: home, neighborhood, schools)

[Magritte25]

Study Reveals Eastern PA Cancer Clusters - PAHomePage.com

Pennsylvania has the highest rate of thyroid cancer in the entire country. And it's especially high in eastern Pennsylvania.

I have heard of various cancer clusters in NEPA. Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if the mine tunnels are a cause of these clusters.

I-Team: Cancer Cluster in Pittston Neighborhood? - PAHomePage.com

This is another recent story about it.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

Frankly, it wouldn't surprise me if the mine tunnels are a cause of these clusters.
.

Keep in mind the issue isn't the mines themselves but the chemicals dumped into them. For those unfamiliar with the butler mine tunnel it was constructed to drain water off the mines. These mines were all interconnected, it was said you could walk from Nanticoke to Scranton and never have to come to the surface. Back in the mid to late 70's an unknown amount of industrial waste was illegally dumped down a borehole near Old Forge? (been so long I don;t remeber), this eventually made it's way into the river where the tunnel ends.

Current Site Information, Butler Mine Tunnel, PA Superfund | Mid-Atlantic Superfund | US EPA

The Butler Mine Tunnel located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania was constructed in the 1930s as a collection and discharge point for mine drainage from an estimated five-square-mile area of underground coal mines. Hazardous materials were disposed of in underground mine areas connected to tunnel, which discharges directly to the Susquehanna River. In 1979, an oily discharge coming from the tunnel created an oil slick on the river. The EPA tracked the contaminants from this initial discharge to a municipal water intake 60 miles downstream, which is the sole source of drinking water for approximately 11,700 residents of Danville, Pennsylvania. The oil contamination was then traced to the illegal dumping of hazardous chemicals into a four-inch borehole located 3 ½ miles from the outlet of the tunnel. The borehole was found to drain into the Butler Mine system. Approximately 25,000 people live within a five-mile radius of the site, and approximately 1,400 people live within the boundaries of the Butler Mine Tunnel site. Also, a number of schools are located within one-mile of the tunnel's discharge point.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Keep in mind the issue isn't the mines themselves but the chemicals dumped into them. For those unfamiliar with the butler mine tunnel it was constructed to drain water off the mines. These mines were all interconnected, it was said you could walk from Nanticoke to Scranton and never have to come to the surface. Back in the mid to late 70's an unknown amount of industrial waste was illegally dumped down a borehole near Old Forge? (been so long I don;t remeber), this eventually made it's way into the river where the tunnel ends.

Ah gotcha. Thanks for the correction!

[Lehigh Valley Native]

The mine water. People can't expect to have carcinogens and heavy metals from the mines flowing into the river and aquifers without some damage.

We cook with and drink only bottled water.

Off topic, it's official, 15 months and we are moving back home. Although we don't have polluted mines under us. Where our home is located has had problems with arsenic in the soil from the fruit orchards that were there 30 years ago. It's always something!!!

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by Lehigh Valley Native

The mine water. People can't expect to have carcinogens and heavy metals from the mines flowing into the river and aquifers without some damage.

??? The levels in coal are about the same as common dirt.

The big issue with mine run off is sulfur which produces that yellowy/orangish stain on everything. Harmful to aquatic life and not very nice looking but it's not going to make you grow a third eye either. FYI, this is how Yellowstone got it's name and is natural sulfur source and that is one of our nations greatest natural treasures. They have some interesting ideas to solve the sulfur issue, in lot of places they are using man made ponds to naturally filter it out. The product is then used for pigments in things like paint.

[Lehigh Valley Native]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

Keep in mind the issue isn't the mines themselves but the chemicals dumped into them. For those unfamiliar with the butler mine tunnel it was constructed to drain water off the mines. These mines were all interconnected, it was said you could walk from Nanticoke to Scranton and never have to come to the surface. Back in the mid to late 70's an unknown amount of industrial waste was illegally dumped down a borehole near Old Forge? (been so long I don;t remeber), this eventually made it's way into the river where the tunnel ends.

I am not an expert, but I would believe that the mines themselves are the biggest problem, because of the acid drainage into the waterways and aquifers.

[Lehigh Valley Native]

Originally Posted by thecoalman

??? The levels in coal are about the same as common dirt.

The big issue with mine run off is sulfur which produces that yellowy/orangish stain on everything. Harmful to aquatic life and not very nice looking but it's not going to make you grow a third eye either. FYI, this is how Yellowstone got it's name and is natural sulfur source and that is one of our nations greatest natural treasures. They have some interesting ideas to solve the sulfur issue, in lot of places they are using man made ponds to naturally filter it out. The product is then used for pigments in things like paint.

The acid mine run off that harms and kills area creeks and streams and the aquatic life is a ok? Having this in our water system for 90 years couldn't possibly have negative effects on human health?

Not to mention the metals that come up from the mines and into the water system because of the natural erosion in the mines. It's all equal to the dirt in my backyard?

[bloominscranton]

Everywhere I have ever lived has had cancer clusters...maybe its me!? I do not worry about that which I can not control, gave it up when I was forced to retire at 36...ok not really a few years after when I turned forty, if I had learned it earlier, things might have been different!

[Magritte25]

I worry about it, even though I cannot control it. Just my nature.

[thecoalman]

Originally Posted by Lehigh Valley Native

The acid mine run off that harms and kills area creeks and streams and the aquatic life is a ok? Having this in our water system for 90 years couldn't possibly have negative effects on human health?

Not to mention the metals that come up from the mines and into the water system because of the natural erosion in the mines. It's all equal to the dirt in my backyard?

I didn't say it was a good thing. My only point is if you want to blame something for cancer I wouldn't go looking at abandoned mines for scapegoat except possibly for the butler mine tunnel.