Governor's budget cuts toxic collection
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Environmentalists say Gov. Jim Doyle exercised "poor judgment" when he proposed eliminating a program that collects toxic chemicals and other environmentally harmful items.
Doyle's budget cuts $1 million in grants for Clean Sweep programs that are used by about 40 agencies across Wisconsin each year.
Clean Sweep collects pesticides, drugs, paint, solvents and old televisions and computers.
Rock County land conservationist Tom Sweeney says the county's program collects about 60 pounds of toxic mercury a year. Sweeney says there's still a great need to get rid of these products.
Clean Sweep manager Roger Springman says rural areas will be most affected because those areas don't have access to a permanent drop-off site like urban settings.
A record of nearly 945,000 pounds of waste was collected last year.
Mar 6, 2009 at 6:44 p.m.
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Doyle is toxic.
Mar 6, 2009 at 1:10 p.m.
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Maybe the Non-Environmentalists need to understand that human health is directly related to the health of our planet. According to went4milk, "We did not have all of these State funded programs in the past and we survived." I've got new for you milk, I'm more worried about the future than the past.
Mar 6, 2009 at noon
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Do you think maybe Doyle has sucked on one too many mercury popsicles lately. Maybe we can use his backyard for a dump site !
Mar 6, 2009 at 11:36 a.m.
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went4milk, ah, ignorance is bliss, isn't it?
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Unfortunately we are now all too aware of the long-term effects of mercury and other pollutants. It's a heavy metal and along with lead frighteningly toxic. It has a bad habit of seeping into groundwater and local game, where it resides within the body and builds up over time. It also tends to be washed downriver to the sea where fish and shellfish stocks are affected.
http://www.epa.gov/hg/
Mar 6, 2009 at 10:21 a.m.
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"60 pounds of toxic mercury"!! That's a lot of potential immunizations!
Mar 6, 2009 at 9:38 a.m.
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Maybe the Environmentalists need to understand that there will be a lot of cuts in the State budget. We did not have all of these State funded programs in the past and we survived.
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