Cushing Briefed On Refinery Cleanup

In Cushing, Oklahoma, cleanup of the Hudson Refinery is a hot issue, with many in the local community curious about the process and it’s repercussions. Last week, Environmental Protection Agency officials, Land O’Lakes, Inc., Envirocon and The Benham Co.’s representatives met at City Hall to address questions and concerns. The cleanup project is expected to cost just under $10 million, and will remove dangerous materials which include heavy metals, chemicals, and asbestos, a known carcinogen, according to EPA Remedial Project Manager Laura Stankosky.

Asbestos exposure is conclusively linked to the development of mesothelioma, a rare form of cancer. Mesothelioma affects less than 3,000 Americans each year, as well as many thousands more around the globe. While there are palliative treatment methods available, including chemo, there is no known cure.

The disease typically lies dormant for up to fifty years before an individual begins to suffer from mesothelioma symptoms, which can cause severe shortness of breath and persistent coughing, as well as an accumulation of fluid in the lungs. Tragically, the majority of patients lose their battle with this cancer in less than two years after the onset of symptoms.

Envirocon has tackled thousands of cleanup projects over the past twenty years, and plans to have crews start working full time at the Hudson Refinery site after the holidays, according to Project Manager Eldon Penn. “In January and February, some scrap metal and a small amount of asbestos will be removed,” he said. “In March, the public will start seeing trucks coming in and out of the facility.”

Source: http://www.stillwater-newspress.com/local/local_story_350122641.html