White Bear Press

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CRASH LANDING: Plane destroyed, pilot OK PAGE 6A

Lead becoming bigger concern for Water Gremlin BY DEBRA NEUTKENS EDITOR

WHITE BEAR TOWNSHIP — Lead contamination is Water Gremlin's latest public affliction. The company continues to claim it is trying to do the right thing regarding chemical use while reports of dangerous heavy metals in its workplace hit the 10 p.m. news. A report by WCCO last week indicated that 75% of Water Gremlin employees had blood lead levels (BLL) of more than 5 micrograms per deciliter, based on data over the last five years from the state Department of Health. Some had levels higher than 25 micrograms per deciliter. Even worse, employees were bringing lead contamination home to their children. According to the news report, the health department knew about employees' high lead levels in 1992, long before Water Gremlin's problems with toxic chemical emissions were made public. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers a BLL of 5 as elevated and the trigger point to identify children who have higher levels of exposure than most children. The township company is a global supplier of lead terminal posts for automotive and industrial batteries. About 5% percent of its business is the manufacture of lead fishing sinkers, the product that launched Water Gremlin in 1949. Carl Dubois, vice president of international manufacturing, maintains that employee blood lead levels are routinely monitored to ensure a safe working environment. "What the WCCO report doesn't say is what the safe occupational exposure level is for lead. It's well understood that above 5 micrograms per deciliter is unsafe for developmental children. What OSHA (the Occupational Safety and Health Administration) says about the workplace is that maximum BLLs is 60 micrograms per deciliter. You should take action at 40. If it reaches 60, a worker is removed from exposure. We have no employees over 40 and, internally, we use 30 as an action level." Dubois told WCCO in a statement that a lapse in employee industrial hygiene SEE WATER GREMLIN, PAGE 10A

Goose Lake boating ban postponed to 2020 BY DEBRA NEUTKENS EDITOR

WHITE BEAR LAKE — The decision to ban motors on East Goose Lake has been pushed to January. After two opposing camps delivered reasons for why the impaired lake should be treated with aluminum sulfate (alum), which requires a temporary ban on motorized boat traffic, and why East Goose shouldn't be treated, City Council decided 4-1 at its Oct. 22 meeting it needed more time to gather information. The lone exception was Councilman Dan Jones, who said he was SEE IMPAIRED, PAGE 11A

FILE | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Watershed technician Tyler Thompson takes a water sample on Goose Lake last year. The lake is nearly devoid of plant life but does have small black bullheads. The fish are stunted due to lack of food.

PAUL DOLS | PRESS PUBLICATIONS

Scare in White Bear Mark and Courtney Sanocki and their dog “Sir” walk past an elaborate Halloween display surrounding a home on Lake Avenue while participating in the “Scare in White Bear” event Friday, Oct. 25. They dressed for the occasion as characters from “Scooby Doo,” with Mark in the role of Fred, Courtney as a mummy and Sir in the role of Shaggy. A stuffed animal filled in as Scooby. They and dozens of other participants could walk or run on a 5K route along the lakeshore. Find more photos on page 1B.

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