Saturday, October 3, 2009

Trap Rock Quarry Trapping Dust in Local Lungs?




For many residents of New Hope PA and Lambertville NJ, Route 29 represents a major portion of their daily commute. And for those passing the entrance to Trap Rock Industries on Route 29 just south of Lambertville in Hopewell Township on a regular basis, many is the morning when it seems like the roadway has gone suddenly foggy in what appears in this author's opinion to be massive clouds of stone dust.

Now I'm no scientist or doctor, but I remember reading somewhere that breathing stone dust can be carcinogenic, so I roll up the windows as I make my way through the haze just south of Traprock Quarry's entrance, often lasting a quarter of a mile or more. The roadside south in that zone is gray, and vegetation appears grayish-brown and unhealthy. Spilled gravel is visible alongside the road all the way down to Washington's Crossing.

I can't personally imagine being a neighbor of the Traprock Quarry. Maybe they employ a lot of local people, offsetting some of the environmental damage caused by tearing apart a mountain piece by piece so some people far away can have pretty rocks in their driveway.

Drivers of the trucks are generally courteous in my experience. And the company uses water trucks to spray down their driveway. But in this author's opinion, not often enough.

Anybody want to write in and offer an opinion on why Hopewell Township residents put up with the mess and potential danger?

2 comments:

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  2. What about the soot from the train in New Hope? Has anyone ever done a study to see the pollution from the tourist train?

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