Legislation that would authorize the Florida Department of Transportation to test the feasibility of using a fertilizer manufacturing waste called phosphogypsum –if the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency decides to allow such things—is still moving toward possible passage during this year’s session of the Florida Legislature.
The basis for this bill seems a bit odd because a couple of roads in Florida—including Parrish Road near Fort Meade—were built years ago and still seem to be in good shape.
The question, then, is not whether you can use this stuff to build roads instead of other conventional road base materials such as lime rock or other unconventional materials such as shredded tires or pulverized glass.
Instead, the question is whether it’s a good idea.
As the Senate staff report understates: “A literature review suggests the existence of opposing opinions relating to the advantages and disadvantages of exposure to phosphogypsum.”
That may have something to do with the fact that it is slightly radioactive and contains all kinds of toxic elements.
It is fair to add that a University of Miami analysis of the Parrish Road project, which was completed decades ago, found nothing alarming regarding potential exposure to residents or the natural environment. The road is bordered by a phosphate pit that attracts all kinds of waterfowl and marsh birds, so if there were effects, you might expect them to have showed up by now.
What the Senate analysis never deals with is why such a project is important to the Florida roadbuilding industry in the first place.
That is, is Florida facing a lime rock shortage? We’re left to guess.
The fertilizer industry’s issue is obvious. Right now the mining/fertilizer companies are required to operate or monitor these mountainous waste stacks forever at considerable cost.
If they could figure out a way to get rid of the stacks by persuading some agency to agree to allow the material’s commercial use, there would be a potential end point for their obligations.
That scenario raises another question.
That is, how long would the construction or reconstruction of how many lane miles of roadway take to make a dent in even one of the24 stacks that dot Florida’s landscape?.
The staff report offers no guidance.
It is hard to believe they are that amazingly incurious.