Above is the link to WINGS Fellow Alexandra Morton’s critical analysis of a mine tailing pond spill into a British Columbia waterway. A tailing pond is the toxic waste that is leftover from the mining industry which is supposed to be kept separate from public water. However, in this case Alexandra Morton highlights the extreme dangers that this business activity poses to the environment. Considering that the pond was held back by a wall of sand, there were many warning signs that a spill was possible and unfortunately they were all ignored by the mining industry. The results of this are that all of the toxic heavy metals that were being held back have now been released into Quesnel Lake which flows into the Fraser River which in turn flows throughout British Columbia. This is extremely concerning because of it’s effect on fishing in particular. Morton states to have reports “of salmon with skin peeling off” from dangerous exposure and expresses the need for answers and tests to be conducted to determine if fish from these areas are safe to eat.
WINGS Fellow Alexandra Morton has been closely monitoring the fishing communities of British Columbia and surrounding areas to protect wild salmon and in turn human health. As the executive director of the Department of Wild Salmon she is calling the attention of the citizens of British Columbia because the issue is bigger than just one town’s drinking water.
