Environmental pollution caused by a non-ferrous metal smelter

After 80 years of operation health authorities have closed down a plant pro cessing non-ferrous scrap metals. The ruling had both beneficial and advers e environmental impacts. The benefits include elimination of direct air pol lution by metal compound emissions, but the metal-bearing dust deposited ov er 80 years and stirred up by winds is still a source of indirect pollution . Remediation involves partial soil replacement in residential areas in com bination with covering, recultivating the 200 000 ton slag heap on the basi s of detailed investigations. The adverse impact consists of the discontinu ation of organized collection, break-up and processing of used car batterie s. The rash, unfounded decision resulted in cases of heavy lead poisoning. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd on behalf of the IAWQ. All right s reserved.