Sugar Maples - chemical tolerance

[tcaslick]

I am wondering about the chemical tolerance of Sugar Maples. Specifically, I am interested in knowing if there are any chemicals (man made or otherwise) that could be absorbed through the roots of a sugar maple and then passed on through the sap in the production of maple sugar. My main interest here is any chemical that could be considered toxic.

Any answer would be appreciated.


Todd Caslick

[tcaslick]

Okay, maybe I should give a little background info about my question about sugar maples.

There is a small town, close to where I live, that has a large annual maple syrup festival. This town also happens to be home to a chemical plant. Over the past 50 years, this plant has made just about every nasty chemical used in the western world. In fact, if this plant closed, the parent company would be unable to produce several of the chemicals they sell. No other country will allow them to start producing these chemicals, but they have grandfathering rights here in Canada.

Over the years, dumping and spills have resulted in highly toxic soil, water that is undrinkable and odorous fumes. The location of the chemical plant is right accross the road from a small apple orchard. The apple trees are still alive, but they are very sickly and they do not blossom (you have to see them to see how bad they really are).

The estimated ground pollution radius that I have been informed of is 5 kms (3 miles). Getting back to the maple trees, one of the local sugar maple wood lots is within 4 kms of the chemical plant. It is highly likely that low levels of some highly toxic chemicals have made their way into the soil at this woodlot.

That's where my question comes into play...could the chemicals in the ground make their way into the maple syrup through the trees? Is there any chemical that could do this? I would have to look up the exact chemicals that are in the soil, but this plant has made chemicals for virtually every industrial sector that uses chemicals.

This company gets hauled to court by the government on a regular basis, they pay their fine and they keep on doing what they do.... If there was a reason to analyze the chemical plant's affect on what has become a major source of income for this area, local pressure might actually cause the status quo to change.

I'm looking for an opion, not necessarily a definitive scientific ruling (although that would be great). If anyone has any thoughts about this or have a site to refer me to, I would certainly appreciate a reply.

Sincerely,

Todd Caslick

[monkeypuzzle]

Four words, I WOULDN'T EAT IT!

[monkeypuzzle]

Chemical Plant=Environmental Terrorist

[tcaslick]

Thanks for the opinion...any scientific basis for it?


Todd Caslick

[Treeman14]

Why not buy some of the syrup and have it tested? If you know what types of chemicals the company produced, it would be easier to look for them specifically. I would be concerned about heavy metals, carcinogens, arsenic, etc. Has the soil around the trees ever been tested? There may also be airborne chemicals and particulates that may have been absorbed by the leaves. Oh, and what monkeypuzzle said, ditto for me.

[Garden Visions]

I would think after 50 years there would be some signs of health injuries as well as risks. Not only would I test the Maple Syrup, but also the apples from the orchard you mentioned. Both of these would be considered agricultural crops and should meet health standards if being distrubuted for human consumption. This should be enough to prompt an investigation.
Although if after 50 years nothing has been done, then it sounds like you have a long arduous battle ahead of you.
To beat politics you must play politics, I would befriend some local politicians to help your cause. Also include some local Green Industry Lobbist groups ( it can't hurt ).

John,
ISA Certified Arborist, Certified Illinois Nurseryman
Garden Visions Nursery

[John Paul McMillin]

Any chemical that acts as a systemic will definately enter into the roots and leaves and into the sap, thats the way they work. I would also agree and be very cautious about what chemical are in the soil there. Good luck. John

[treeclimber165]

Ditto what Brett said. If you want to find out if there are chemicals in the syrup, test the syrup.

[tcaslick]

Thanks to all for your opinions.

We have a university in the neighborhood that has a pretty good environmental studies department, but when we approached them about doing these sort of tests, we were told it would be expensive.

As for the apple trees, from my understanding they haven't produced fruit in years and they are much closer than the maples. The maples are much closer to the edge of the 'perimeter' of the soil polution, and thus less likely to be affected. There isn't much else grown within that perimeter...though there are hay fields and pastures within that area.

The soil, the water (I didn't mention it before, but there is a creek right next to the plant), including local wells, and the air have been tested by the Ministry of the Environment. The most recent problems have been with odors that have annoyed the neighbours, and a couple tolulene (sp?) spills. The company goes to court and pays the fines.

The unfortunate thing here is that we don't know how far we can trust the Ministry. They have been cut back to the bone since 1995, resulting in such oversights as the Walkerton ecoli outbreak. In this case, one of the Ministry executives ended up switching sides and joining the offending company in their communications department. Makes you wonder, huh?

Well, it looks like I've started another essay here, so I think I'll leave it at that. I'm not the primary researcher here, so I'll take your recommendations to her. The maple syrup thing was a 'what if' that I pondered about, so I thought I would see where it went.


Thanks again.



Todd Caslick

[John Paul Sanborn]

Contact the Seirra Club and see if they would be willing to help get the suryp tested.

[tcaslick]

Hmmmm...thanks for the suggestion. I just might do that.


Todd Caslick

[WillClimb]

Spelled "Toluene" - nasty chemical. It has its uses, but also its effects:

Health Hazards (Acute, Delayed, and Chronic): Can cause death. Contact
with skin may cause allergic eczema. Substance is very corrosive to eyes.
Chronic exposure may cause chronic lung disease (*Gosselin 1976, Weiss
1980, p. 871, DASE 1980, p. 907). As a vapor TDI is a powerful irritant to
the respiratory tract. Chronic loss of respiratory function may occur
(*Gosselin 1976). Acute asthmatic bronchitis or frank asthma may occur
(*IARC 1972-85). A splash in the eyes of workmen has caused keratitis and
conjunctivitis (*Grant 1974). This compound causes inflammation of the
skin, also chemical pneumonitis and pulmonary edema (*ACGIH 1980).


Log Cabin Syrup's not made there....is it?

[tcaslick]

Log Cabin...not that I know of (most of the world's maple syrup comes from Quebec, which means you should worry about pulp and paper mill chemicals in your syrup).

This, as of yet un-named, town has an annual one day maple syrup festival that draws in excess of 60,000 people (the town has maybe 10,000 people, tops). That's where most of the syrup gets sold. Well, there and the local farmers markets and tourist traps and maybe a few other places.

As for some of the side effects of toluene...some of the locals have experienced health problems, and a whole heard of cattle died from drinking creek water in the sixties.

It's an ongoing saga with Cr...oops...I almost started a libel suit.... It's been an ongoing saga with this chemical company and the locals and the Ministry of the Environment. Complaints, monitoring, fines, spills, more fines, fumes and odors, more monitoring, court, more fines...etc.

The company makes too much money on this plant to close it. They can't move it anywhere because no one else wants it or would even allow it. The plant is old with limited possibilities to upgrade. There may also be legal limits to what they can do to improve the sight (if they demolish the old building to build a new one, they may lose their grandfathering rights for producing certain chemicals).

Another issue is that this plant is one of the largest employers in town. Closing it down would put a lot of people out of work. From my understanding, this plant is a keystone for North American industry. If it closes, changes will have to be made in production processes at companies that produce fertilizer, tires, cars, and who knows how many other things. Even children's toys from what I've read. No one else makes these chemicals. No one else would be allowed to make these chemicals.

So it all boils down to money. Meanwhile, everyone in town turns into mutants.


Todd Caslick

[WillClimb]

Yeah, I'd steer clear of the three-eyed trout for sure.