Plus, proposed heat protection
A study shows toxins linger in our waterways long after the algae has gone, NASA launches a new spacecraft capable of monitoring ecological systems from miles up, and OSHA gears up to protect outdoor workers from excessive heat. It’s all in this week’s Environmental and Engineering Digest.
Blue-Green algae in the Indian River Lagoon. Courtesy, Central Florida Kayaking
Lingering Toxins in the Indian River Lagoon: The toxic algae blooms clogging waterways have become well-known nationwide, but a new study reveals that much of the toxins linger long after the blooms have dissipated. A team at FAU collected water samples from the Indian River Lagoon from 2018-2021 during both wet and dry seasons and found many of the same toxic molecules as produced by the algae, even in the absence of a bloom. Different sites were monitored throughout the years with researchers hoping to answer the question of unrecognized toxins or other signaling molecules in the water, which Amy Wright, Ph.D. and co-author of the report, said the data has identified. Cytotoxicity (the ability to damage or kill living cells) is a problem at any trophic level – if it does not directly poison humans, it can contaminate shellfish and other sources of food that will eventually harm humans in some capacity. The method of sampling FAU employed could have some substantial impacts in the field, enabling us to better monitor health impacts on humans and better follow patterns of known toxins.
AECOM, the largest engineering firm in the world, and its lead scientist, Dan Levy, have led the nation’s efforts in preventing and responding to harmful algal bloom (HABs) that are polluting waterways and endangering animals and humans with poisonous water.
Artist rendering of PACE spacecraft in orbit. Courtesy, NASA
NASA PACE Spacecraft Takes Flight: Better algae bloom detection and prediction, including red tide, is just one of the things that NASA’s new PACE spacecraft launched on February 8 can do. It’s specifically outfitted with hyperspectral imaging to better analyze Florida’s shallow-water coastlines. PACE will allow scientists to have a wider view of environmental issues across the state without having to dispatch teams to certain locations – it can all be telephotographed from miles up in the sky, which should be hugely beneficial for both disaster management and to help the fishing industry combat the damaging and cyclical effects of algae bloom. At a glance, scientists can examine the health of seagrass beds, the bleaching of coral, or even forecast impending hurricanes by checking for airborne particles like dust blowing west from Africa. Researchers are developing algorithms to translate PACE data that will be open-source and available to the public, creating a global network of people capturing and analyzing data to spot any abnormalities in larger ecosystems.
OSHA Pushing Heat Exposure Protection: There has been a push by OSHA to both better understand and protect workers from extreme heat indexes and long exposure in the sun. The agency has hosted dozens of public meetings and collected thousands of comments from affected workers in recent months. If its proposed standard passes, workers would be entitled to extra breaks during hotter months, and workplaces would need to better prepare their workers for heat-related health problems. This could look like extra training to identify heat stress, cooling hats/vests, or even tapering into a full workday starting with much shorter shifts to acclimate to the heat. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 387 workers lost their lives from heat-related illness between 2013 and 2022, a number that is almost certainly underreported because heart failure and stroke are so often mistaken for heat stress.
On the state level, the Florida Legislature is considering SB 1492 by Senator Jay Trumbull (and its companion HB 433 by Rep. Tiffany Esposito). The bills would limit local governments from requiring additional heat exposure safeguards than those required by OSHA. Both bills appear likely to pass. You can read more in this Senate bill analysis. We wanted to flag these bills for you as many of our hard-working claims adjusters are in the summer heat!
LMA Newsletter of 2-19-24
