Copper Firm Asarco Will Cleanse Employees' Yards of Toxics

In addition, the Tucson-based company has agreed to spend up to $13.5 million on cleaning up the yards of residents in these towns located in southcentral Arizona.

The towns of Hayden and Winkelman consist of homes built during the 1940s and 1950s to house the large number of workers needed in the area to operate the company's Ray open pit copper mine and the copper smelter in Hayden.

The area is typical of rural Arizona, with churches, small stores, and other facilities located along the main street of the town. Hayden is east of Highway 177, on a hillside, below the actual smelter works. The entire town covers an area of less than one square mile, and contains 365 homes.

Asarco operates an overland conveyor that directs ore from the crusher to the mill building for processing while passing over some of Hayden's residential streets.

The elementary and high school for both communities are in Winkelman, a town of 100 homes. The total population of Hayden and Winkelman is some 1,500 people.

The smelter site consists of a large complex of buildings, many of which are former smaller smelters, replaced by the current large smelter now in operation. The entire complex covers approximately 200 acres.

A large pile of waste product called mine tailings is directly east of Hayden on the west side of Highway 177, rising 100 feet into the air and extending for half a mile along Highway 177.

The Asarco overland conveyor crosses a road near Hayden, Arizona. (Photo courtesy AA Roads)

One recent visitor to these towns said, "What struck me on my last visit was the burning irritation to my eyes and nose when I got out of the car."

The EPA collected air and soil samples in Hayden and Winkelman after the EPA and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality discovered elevated levels of arsenic, lead and copper in previous samples.

As a result, Asarco is required to complete a Remedial Investigation and Feasibility Study to determine the full extent of soil contamination and identify cleanup techniques.

"This agreement outlines the process which will be used to clean up the legacy of waste left in Hayden and Winkelman," said Keith Takata, director of the Superfund division for the EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "We will continue to work with the state to eliminate the threat of contamination and to protect human health."

"This agreement is a win for the residents of Hayden and I am pleased the parties came together to get it done," said Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano. "Committing Asarco to paying for and conducting the cleanup under close supervision is a good solution."

In September 2007, Asarco made a written commitment to negotiate a legally-binding judicial decree with both the federal and state agencies under which the company would assume responsibility for conducting any necessary studies and remediation at the Hayden site.

"We believe this approach is the best way to conduct the cleanup quickly, efficiently and with the least adverse impact on the affected communities," said Doug McAllister, Asarco's executive vice president and general counsel.

Arsenic enters the body through ingestion or inhalation as airborne dust and is a known carcinogen. Other common side effects include decreased production of red and white blood cells, impaired nerve function, and skin irritations.

Exposure to lead is particularly harmful to children and can affect virtually every system in the body, particularly cognitive development. Exposure to high lead levels can severely damage the brain and kidneys in adults or children and ultimately cause death.

Copper at low levels is essential for good health, but exposure to high levels of copper can irritate the nose, mouth and eyes and cause headaches, dizziness and nausea.

The EPA and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality will oversee all of Asarco's operations to ensure compliance with the agreement.

The agreement further requires Asarco to conduct additional cleanups, as necessary, ensure full and final completion of the work and to fully reimburse both the federal and the state agency for expenses related to overseeing the company's work.

The agreement will become effective upon approval by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, because Asarco had filed for bankruptcy, and following a 20-day public comment period after publication of notice in the Federal Register.

The company, a subsidiary of Grupo México, plans to emerge from bankruptcy this year, and opposes calls for it to liquidate its mining and industrial assets.

Asarco mines produce 350 to 400 million pounds of copper a year. Its three largest open pit mines are the Mission, Silver Bell and the Ray mines in Arizona. Asarco has 20 Superfund sites across the United States.

Copyright Environment News Service (ENS) 2008. All rights reserved.