Pollution
mixing zones are streams or bodies of water where polluters (industrial,
municipal or individual) can legally obtain a permit to dump bio-accumulative
chemicals, sewage, mining waste water at high concentrations based
on the mistaken old rule that “dilution is the solution to
pollution.” Toxins dumped into mixing zones can include mercury,
BCBs, chlordane, BCD, dioxins, mirex, etc. as defined under Section
307 of the Clean Water Act. These substances can accumulate and persist
on the bottom of these water bodies and make their way into the food
chain. Toxic chemicals can interfere with human (and animal) reproduction
and development, immune responsiveness and neurological functions.
Mixing zones
have become common in Montana. While technically legal, they circumvent
the enforcement of water quality standards. Mixing
zones are not a solution, let alone a justifiable public policy --
toxic pollution should be cleaned up before its outflow and not allowed
into streams at all. Diluting toxic substances is an unacceptable
substitute for treatment and removal and must be prohibited. To this
end Montana
River Action is committed. ~