According to Michael Regan, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality, the Duplin Dam and Sampson County have drilled a dyke around a pork lagoon. Lagoons of pigs or pigs are pits or dugouts of human origin that store animal waste. The lagoons are supposed to help reduce pollution and North Carolina The Pork Council says its "scarcity" for lagoons to overflow, but there are reports At least seven lagoons "above", as they are also known, in Jones and Pender County, said the department. The Department of Environmental Quality reported that four hog ponds had been flooded by nearby bodies of water in Jones County by noon Tuesday.
The North Carolina Hog Council said that the lagoon breach in Duplin County was on a small farm and that an on-site inspection showed that "the solids remained in the lagoon." There was no mention of any solids being released from the four additional lagoons flooded by floodwaters. The other 3,000 lagoons in the state are in good shape so far. The Department of Environmental Quality will carry out inspections when they can visit the site. The North Carolina Hog Council has said it will monitor the situation closely.
"We remain concerned about the potential impact of these overwhelming floods," the council said on their website. "We continue to evaluate the impact and plan to provide future updates."
Pig producers are required by law to report any violation. Assistant Director of Communications Bridget Munger said that there may be other problems, but the staff had to collect these reports quickly in difficult circumstances. The Wilmington office of the department was not powered and the Fayetteville staff had to be evacuated due to flooding. "We process the information as quickly as possible as it happens," said Munger. The department will have a more detailed report later.
It is not known how much waste is in the rainwater, but the waste pits contain bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella. Fecal exposure can lead to kidney problems, vomiting, fatigue, stomach problems, skin infections and other problems.
According to previous studies, regular exposure to flood-free swine waste by people working with animals or people living near farms can have a negative impact on health. People have reported more serious cases of lung problems such as shortness of breath and cough and certain neurobehavioral problems such as balance and verbal problems. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are also of concern.
"Industrial farming and hog farming use a lot of antibiotics. That's how you get growth hormones and you quickly get a lot of fat," said Winifred Hamilton, who studied the health consequences of the floods. Last year, she found that antibiotic-resistant bacteria were 250-fold higher in sediment left behind in homes by the floods caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
"When people are at home in the mud, they really need to be protected," Hamilton said. Bring masks and protective gear. "You do not want to touch the flood waters at all."
It can be difficult to avoid contaminated water. The counties of Duplin and Sampson are one of the most concentrated areas for hog farming in the world and the region has already experienced health problems related to pollution before the flood. The flood could certainly aggravate these problems. An immunocompromised person, such as a person with a chronic health problem, may face a Salmonella infection, although this is rare. Bacteria and viruses could also be a problem.
The captain of the Cape Fear Kemp Burdette River observed the storm in these areas with great concern. The region has already recorded record flood levels that are expected to increase further. Farms built on flood plans, and there are dozens, will face serious problems, he said, and he expects more pig lagoons to sink before the end of the storm. . Dirt in fields that have been sprayed with manure before the storm will also mingle with the rainwater and Burdette said the state would likely see some of the barns flooded, which means that animals in these barns will likely die and continue contaminate floodwaters.
Environmental Protection Agency spokeswoman Maggie Sauerhage said the state had reported that seven of its wastewater treatment facilities were "non-operational".
"It sounds like a worst case scenario," Burdette said. Burdette's house was flooded, his family is safe, but he said he was worried about the residents who stayed and those who would rush to clean up. In doing so, they would receive the usual cuts and scratches and be exposed to this water. . "There will be many opportunities to get sick," he said. "To be frank and honest, there are many of these farms upstream of homes that are flooded or flooded and that will cross people's homes and cover their belongings." Recovering from a flood is difficult. -you?" I do not know, it's pretty awful. "
Burdette wonders why so many farms are built in flood plans. "There is no way to prevent this kind of disaster in a hurricane like that of animal husbandry in North Carolina," he said.
Coal ash in flood waters
Hamilton is also concerned about the potential threat to health of coal ash in floodwaters. "The ashes of coal will end in everyone's homes", near these areas. He "will find himself in the air and as they clean themselves," she said.
Coal ash is industrial waste created by coal-fired power plants. Coal ash contains heavy metals, including arsenic, lead and mercury, which can pose health risks.
According to Regan, one of the coal ash landfills at the Sutton mill in Wilmington has failed. He said his department was on site to inspect the area. Duke Energy, who owns the property, also conducts an on-site analysis.
Erin Culbert, a spokeswoman for Duke Energy, said the company was calculating about 2,000 cubic yards of ash. The company said it was difficult to know how much water had come in contact with the coal ash.
"We have no indication that the ashes have gone into the cooling pond," Culbert said, adding that the company will continue to conduct water analyzes. A small amount of ash and water penetrated outside the perimeter of the landfill into an adjacent industrial site and Duke Energy worked with the landowner to clean it. They also detected several erosion zones and perform the first repair work.
Mr. Culbert said that the coal ash itself is not dangerous and that the company does not believe that the incident poses a threat to human health. They also monitor two other sites at the HF Lee hydroelectric facility in Wake County, which are in good condition at the moment, but there are low ash ponds that are forested and flooded in the past, moving equipment . Duke Energy also monitors the Weatherspoon plant near Lumberton, where the nearby Jacob's Swamp has invaded the cooling pond, but the water has now been removed and the company announced that it would carry out additional inspections.
"We think this will not impact the public," said Culbert, but they will monitor the situation. Coal ash contains heavy metals that can pose a threat to human health. Culbert said that it contains trace elements of contaminants but she said that it's less than 1%.
The flood of coal ash can make its way in streams that contaminate fish, people eat and contaminate drinking water.
Wilma Subra, a chemist and environmental health scientist in Louisiana, said coal ash should be dispersed throughout construction sites and homes. She warned people to use protective gear when cleaning their homes. She said even health threats, common in other hurricanes, such as exposure to sewage, could be a problem.
"That's what happened after Katrina, they came back and had boils on their legs," Subra said. There are also toxic chemicals that can settle in the soil. "And if you go back and find two inches of yuk on your property, then you handle your house and the grass starts to grow and you never remove it from your garden." Every time you mow your lawn, the dried mud will cause dust and re-exposure again and again. "
