Toxic Oilfield Wastewater Used To Grow California Food, Including Organics
Sarah Oktay, a water testing expert and director of the Nantucket field station of the University of Massachusetts Boston, reviewed Smith’s methods and the laboratory analysis of the water he sampled. “We need to make sure we fully understand what goes into the wastewater,” said Clay Rodgers, assistant executive officer of the Central Valley Water Quality Control Board. Oil giant Chevron recycles 21 million gallons of that water each day and sells it to farmers who use it on about 45,000 acres of crops, about 10% of Kern County’s farmland. Individually, an orange can cost around $0.50 to $1 on average. For example, at the time of this writing, our local Walmart was charging $0.50 per navel orange.
“Now, it’s time to demand that the state stops endangering our health with the toxic byproducts of the noxious oil and gas industry in the state.” These districts receive up to 16 billion gallons of wastewater each year–enough to fill 25,000 Olympic-sized pools–from oil companies that can be used in the systems that provide water for irrigating crops. Common claims are that 20% – 25% of all plastic is recycled in advanced countries (more in Europe!). In many Western cities, we have grown happily accustomed to seeing green-colored garbage trucks come to collect our urban waste, including plastic items, every week.
In some cases, the state treated entire aquifers as exempt when, in fact, only specific portions of them had been approved for oil industry use. In other instances, the state issued injection permits for aquifers that the EPA had never declared exempt, Blumenfeld said. “When I’m concerned for my farm, I’m looking at future generations and reaching a point where they can’t use the groundwater because of things we’re doing today,” said Tom Frantz, 65, a farmer and retired teacher who grows almonds near the town of Shafter . To learn more about the campaign or to view the documentary and campaign video, visit foodandwaterwatch.org/JustBanIt.
At least some of Sunview’s crops are grown in Cawelo Water District. The reason any of these chemicals are found in the water is that they can be used to make you believe that you have it, and in the process you really have it. And the reason for it is that they produce a large number of toxic chemicals that will damage and turn you into a zombie who is going to eat everybody, and if they don’t eat you, they’re going to end up dead.
Recent tests of irrigation water supplied by Chevron, for instance, turned up benzene, a carcinogen, at higher concentrations than what is allowed in California drinking water. The state has not set a standard for benzene in irrigation water. We have to be cautious when dealing with toxic waste water because some people think that it is just a natural phenomenon. The truth is that it has been known to be toxic for a very long time. To be a toxic waste water, the water has to come from a location where there is a concentration of toxic chemicals.
The union ended up providing temporary protection for the workers. Salvador says he believes that the contractors and the company afforded them more respect in the process once they knew that the UFW was on their side. The union also helped with outreach and contacted local media about the strike. “They given more students per classroom; moonxcosmetics products it’s like getting a decrease in salary. We felt connected to them since we were going through similar struggles at the same time,” Salvador explained. “ truly the top 1 percent wrapped in a green veneer, in a veneer of social justice,” is how Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla of Restore the Delta described Wonderful to Mother Jones.
The agreement listed, by name, aquifers considered exempt, where oil companies could legally inject leftover water with a simple permit from the division. If state regulators wanted to add any aquifers to the list, they would need EPA’s aproval. Crops in Kern County are irrigated with “toxic wastewater” that has been proved to contain harmful pollutants from fracking activities. Solving the waste problem will require much R&D investment.
