Smelter discharges ton of lead into river
TRAIL, British Columbia (UPI) — A smelter leak of acid and a ton of lead into the Columbia River in British Columbia had Canadian and U.S. environmental officials taking water samples Friday.
The spill happened in Trail, British Columbia, Wednesday night at the Teck Cominco Metal plant several miles north of the border, and the smelter was immediately shut down, the Vancouver Sun reported.
Water samples were being taken at regular intervals on both sides of the border, the report said.
The B.C. Ministry of Environment said in a news release it was “highly unlikely” the spill would affect groundwater wells due to “the dilution of the spill in the spring high-flow conditions.”
Copyright 2008 by United Press International
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