STOPCottonwoodSandMine.org

A Sand Mine in the middle of a residential community may bring significant health risks to community members such as Silicosis, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Cancer, Asthma, and Valley Fever. The COVID-19 pandemic has already made vulnerable people with underlying respiratory diseases shelter in and around their home. A Sand Mine and its potential health risks might mean that these individuals who reside on or near the Sand Mine and who have respiratory disorders, won't even be able to walk outside their home.

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Silicosis is a lung disease. It happens when you breathe in dust that contains silica. Silica is a tiny crystal found in sand, rock or mineral ores like quartz. Over time, silica can build up in your lungs and breathing passages. This leads to scarring that makes it hard to breathe.

 

Pulmonary Fibrosis refers to scarring of the lung tissue (fibrosis of the lungs). Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, and decreased exercise tolerance. One of the causes of pulmonary fibrosis involves Environmental Toxins. Treatment options are limited as the disease is progressive (worsening over time). The prognosis is poor for pulmonary fibrosis. The life expectancy for most patients is less than 5 years.

 

Cancer – Silicosis, as described earlier, is an inflammatory disease of the lungs induced by exposure to crystalline silica particles. Multiple studies show that high cumulative levels of silica increase an individual’s risk of developing lung cancer. In addition to lung cancer, respirable crystalline silica also causes chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and kidney disease. Exposure to respirable crystalline silica is related to the development of autoimmune disorders and cardiovascular impairment. (Information obtained from OSHA.gov)

 

Because the body’s ability to fight infections may be weakened by silica in the lungs, other illnesses (such as Tuberculosis) may result and can cause: fever, weight loss, night sweats, chest pains, and respiratory failure. (Information obtained from cdc.gov)

 

Asthma, a chronic condition that obstructs airflow and leads to difficulty breathing, can be triggered by allergens including air pollutants (tobacco smoke, diesel exhaust, aerosol agents, dusts, gases and vapors) and upper respiratory diseases. Dusts include wood, rock, coal, protein dusts, silica, asbestos, and latex. These triggers are known to affect people with pre-existing asthma who then experience aggravated asthma attacks due to the exposure or may cause new asthma cases due to the exposure. (Information obtained at health.Utah.gov)

 

Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis) is an illness that usually affects the lungs. It is caused by the fungus Coccidioides immitis that lives in soil (in the top 2 to 12 inches of soil) in many parts of California. When soil containing the fungus is disturbed by digging, vehicles, or by the wind, the fungal spores get into the air. When people breathe the spores into their lungs, they may get Valley Fever. Serious illness can develop with pneumonia and flu-like symptoms. In very serious cases, disease spreads outside of the lungs causing severe illness. Parts of the body that may be affected include the brain (meningitis), bones, joints, skin, or other organs. This is called Disseminated Valley Fever. As few as 10 spores or fewer may cause a Valley Fever infection. Advanced Valley Fever, especially with people with weakened immune systems, can be fatal. (Information obtained at sandiegocounty.gov)