2017 The 2013 Stack demolition apparently contaminated land up to nearly a mile away east of facility with lead

UaTEP digital commons:

The Former Asarco Demolition Fallout, a Post Study on Lead Soil Concentrations and Environmental Agents of Redistribution in El Paso, Texas

Stephanie Austin Robinson, University of Texas at El Paso

Abstract

The former El Paso ASARCO Smelting and Refining Co. operated between 1877 and 1999, the pyrometallurgic activity was estimated to have discharged excess of a 1,000 tons of lead (Pb) into the atmosphere from 1969-71. It was estimated 96 tons of (Pb) were emitted on an annual basis from the standing ore and fluid beds. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) determined that lead (Pb) is the heavy metal of the highest concentration within the vicinity of the smelter. After the smelter production ceased, flash flooding common to the southwest, such as the 2006 historic flood, increased transportation of superficial contaminants and was expected to have reduced initial concentrations located on the mountain east of the demolition zone of impact. This served as a “new” time stamp to base retrospective analysis of (Pb) distribution. Lead absorption by humans has been epidemiologically associated with delayed effects after exposure and chronic health issues including, but not limited to, renal disease, neurodegenerative disease, hypertension, and cognitive dysfunction at sub-regulatory levels < 10 µg/dL. The ASARCO smoke stacks were demolished in 2013. A discrepancy in the duration of run-time among the air-quality monitors the day of the demolition suggests that bystanders observing this event may have been exposed to (Pb) and other heavy metal contaminants. This study sought to investigate temporal changes in lead concentration within the vicinity of the former ASARCO site using pre-demolition recorded (Pb) concentrations and observations collected in 2015 to determine the extent to which lead may have been redistributed during the demolition event, or other plausible environmental agents governing redistribution processes. Lead concentrations were measured in the leaves of Creosote Bush (Larrea tridentata) and soil at the base of the plant. Creosote is a known bioaccumulator of lead that is susceptible to aeolian deposition, and to similar lead protein interactions that may result in oxidative stress as observed from human exposure to lead. This has rationalized it as a suitable bioindicator for lead recontamination and health impacts indicative of air quality corresponding to sub-regulatory Blood Lead Levels (BLL) < 10 µg/dL. Temporal comparison and analysis of soil (Pb) concentrations from 1993, 2001, and 2015 showed anomalously high (Pb) concentrations in 2015, suggesting the force of impact from the demolition of the former ASARCO smoke stacks in 2013 caused a localized re-contamination event 0.5 to 0.75 mile east of the designated demolition zone. Spatial analysis of azimuthal trends in (Pb) distribution provided evidence that long-term trends in wind direction appear to have been the dominant source of (Pb) distribution during the smelter operation. However, after smelter production seized, seasonal rain events and flash flooding likely served as the primary mode of transportation of these surficial contaminants, which is complicated by topography, flow dynamics, metal speciation, and particulate size and mass.^

Subject Area

Environmental law|Environmental science|Environmental engineering

Recommended Citation

Robinson, Stephanie Austin, "The Former Asarco Demolition Fallout, a Post Study on Lead Soil Concentrations and Environmental Agents of Redistribution in El Paso, Texas" (2017). ETD Collection for University of Texas, El Paso. AAI10616946.
https://digitalcommons.utep.edu/dissertations/AAI10616946

2003 200 million loan to asarco J.P. Morgan-Chase and Bank of America

Contact: Clay Allen 602-977-6515 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOTE:  The following notice was submitted to the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores by Grupo Mexico S.A. de C.V., Asarco’s parent company based in Mexico City. GRUPO MEXICO CONCLUDES FINANCIAL RESTRUCTURING OF ASARCO MEXICO CITY – March 31, 2003 –  Grupo Mexico, S.A. de C.V. announces that it has signed and received funding of a loan for $200 million with  a syndicate of banks led by J.P. Morgan-Chase and Bank of America. This credit replaces an agreement originally reached with Barclay's, which decided to back away from  its commitment in the restructuring that currently is taken by 11 banks. Upon consummating this negotiation, the $310 million loan signed February 28 with Banco Inbursa has also been funded. As a result, the Americas Mining Corporation (AMC) subsidiary receives new resources and today acquires 54 percent of the shares of  Southern Peru Copper Corporation. AMC assumes control of these shares, which are now collateral for the Inbursa loan. With the completion of these joint operations, Asarco reduces its net debt to $226 million, which represents a reduction  of 77 percent of its overall debt, canceling 100 percent of short-term  debt in the amount of $550 million, and  assures its viability under current market conditions.  In addition, Grupo Mexico improves its general debt profile. The participating banks in the aforementioned credit are J. P. Morgan-Chase Bank, Bank of America, The Bank of Nova Scotia, BNP Paribas, Banamex-City Group, Dresdner Bank, Westdeutsche Landesbank, The Royal Bank of Canada, Deutsche Bank, Credite Agricole Indosuez and BBVA-Bancomer