BELLE MINA, Ala. — A proposed rock quarry in the Belle Mina community has left some residents and community leaders in the area with questions about the potential health effects this quarry could have on them. FOX 54 spoke with a local toxicologist who breaks down just how this quarry could pose potential health risks.
Pulmonary toxicologist Dr. Janice Thornton - Manning said there is a number of health problems associated with this, and elderly and children are especially susceptible to the detrimental health effects. "Studies have shown that children who grow up near quarries by the time they turn 18, they have a smaller lung size than children that are not near the quarry. The other population is elderly. There is a a decreased life expectancy among the elderly who live near quarries. so these are serious to me. These are very serious health issues that need to be explored before anyone considers a quarry going in next to this wonderful community."
Belle Mina Methodist Church Minister Cody Gilliam explained that for residents with COPD or any kind of genetic predisposition to have lung disease, this is going to be a major concern. "Because they'll be silica particles in the air and you'll get a disease that is rendered from that and it'll cause you to ultimately suffocate and die. And that'll be just because of the blasting and all the particles that are put in the air."
Dr. Thornton - Manning continued that when it boils down to it, that is what the fight is all about. The very small particles being breathed into the lungs. "And the smaller ones actually get into the bloodstream. And that's what causes all this damage to to occur in the human body is from that inhalation of these small particles."