Phosphogypsum is a material known by the EPA to contain a "potentially cancer-causing, radioactive gas," that's the second-leading cause of
Florida governor and presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis signed a bill Thursday [June 29, 2023] that would allow for roads across Florida to be made with "radioactive" mining waste that has been linked to cancer. The measure, brought forward by the state House, adds phosphogypsum to a list of "recyclable materials" that state officials say can be used in road construction. ::: Before it can be used, the state's Department of Transportation will need to conduct a study to "evaluate the suitability" of its use, the bill says, and "may consider any prior or ongoing studies of phosphogypsum's road suitability in the fulfillment of this duty." That task must be completed by April 1, 2024. ::: Radon, the gas emitted from phosphogypsum, trails just smoking to rank as the second-leading cause of lung cancer, and is linked to about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year in the U.S., according to the EPA. The agency also says it's the "single greatest environmental source of radiation exposure."
