The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has previously approved the use of a material containing radioactive radium for the construction of roads in Florida, The Hill reports.
In June, Florida Governor Ron Desantis signed a law obliging the Department of Transportation of the region to study the possibility of using phosphogypsum in paving projects.
Environmental groups urged Desantis to veto the bill, saying the radioactive material would degrade water quality and expose road construction crews to a higher risk of developing cancer. The Environmental Protection Agency also has the right to vote in the adoption of the law.
The American chemical company Mosaic Fertilizer LLC, a manufacturer of phosphate and potash fertilizers, asked the EPA to allow the construction of three 200-foot (61 m each) sections of road with phosphogypsum mixtures.
In its preliminary approval, the EPA stated that the potential risks to public health from radiation during the construction of a small-scale pilot project are no higher than when storing phosphogypsum in a stack.
Phosphogypsum is a by—product formed during the production of fertilizers from phosphorite rock. The agency has previously expressed concern about the use of this material in road construction. The EPA, in particular, reported that phosphogypsum contains radium, which decays to form radon gas, both of which are radioactive and can cause cancer, RBC clarifies.
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