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Florida Tests Radioactive Waste in Roads
10 Oct
Summary
- Radioactive phosphogypsum is being tested for road construction.
- EPA regulates the material due to radium and radon gas.
- A Florida project uses it as a road base under asphalt.
A novel road construction project in New Wales, Florida, is testing the use of phosphogypsum, a waste material from fertilizer manufacturing, as a road base. Phosphogypsum is generated during the production of phosphoric acid from phosphate ore. This material is regulated by the US Environmental Protection Agency due to the presence of radium, which decays into radioactive radon gas.
The EPA has approved a specific project for Mosaic Fertilizer, LLC, on private property in New Wales. Phosphogypsum will be incorporated into the road base and subsequently covered with asphalt. The test road features four sections with phosphogypsum and four control sections without it. Safety will be monitored using wells placed downgradient and upgradient of each section.
Concerns surrounding phosphogypsum stem from its radium content, which releases radon gas, a known carcinogen. Prolonged exposure to radon can increase the risk of lung cancer. The EPA typically requires phosphogypsum to be managed in engineered stacks to limit public exposure, but it can approve alternative uses if they offer equivalent health protection.
While EPA regulations generally mandate phosphogypsum be contained in stacks, other uses are permitted under specific conditions. These include agricultural applications and research. Any other proposed use, such as in road construction, requires explicit EPA approval after a case-by-case evaluation of potential health risks.
