HomeMy WebLinkAboutHandout - Jeff Dineen u
Dear Mayor Law and Renton City Council members,
I would like to share with you the following information that I have been able to establish from the Renton
Municipal Airport Master Plan. I am neither a statistician nor an environmental scientist so if I have
miscalculated please let know because if not I find these values very concerning.
• Table A-1 of The Renton Municipal Airport Master Plan, shows that the in 2013, Renton Airport sold
227,174 gal of AV gas.
• The Aug 2, 2017 published Plane & Pilot Facts Sheet, states that each gallon of AV gas contains 1.2-
2.0 grams of the lead additive TEL
From these numbers I was able to calculate that the Renton Airport released somewhere between 272,608-
454,348 grams of lead pollution into our environment in 2013.
Table B-1 of the Renton Municipal Airport Master Plan states that General Aviation activity at the airport
experienced a 5 year CAGR of 6.36% for the years 2010-2015. Assuming that this growth is equally expressed
in fuel consumption (which seems completely logical) and that this growth rate continued to today, I was able
to estimate the yearly lead pollution values for the Renton Airport from 2013 to present.
Year Low Value in grams (Ibs) High Value in grams(Ibs)
2013 272,608 (601) 454,348 (1,001)
2014 289,945 (639) 483,244 (1,065)
2015 308,385 (680) 513,978 (1,133)
2016 327,998 (723) __ 546,667 (1,205)
2017 348,858 (769) 581,435 (1,282)
2018 371,045 (818) 618,414 (1,363)
2019 394,643 (870) 657,745 (1,450)
TOTAL 6 2 MILLION GRAMS 4 MILLION GRAMS
YEAR (4,409) (8,818)
VALUE
The important thing about lead pollution is that it doesn't disappear; it accumulates over time in our
environment, our soils and our bodies. By adding the above values I was able to establish that The Renton
Airport is responsible for somewhere between 2 - 4 million grams (4,400-8,800 pounds) of lead pollution for
this 6 year period of time. Knowing that the Renton Airport is well over a hundred years old it is reasonable
to conclude that The Renton Airport is responsible for 100's of millions of grams of lead pollution with a
disproportional amount of it falling on your neighbors to your airport. This is truly a staggering number
especially when you consider the health consequences of lead pollution. I have included a discussion of the
health effects of lead pollution below. I fail to see how anyone could see this as acceptable and how anyone
who claims to have any interest in the quality of life and long term health of Renton could ignore numbers
such as these.
Once lead gets into the body, it tends to stick around. Unlike calcium and iron, two metallic elements that are vital to
health, lead has absolutely no biological function. But because lead is chemically similar to calcium and iron, cells eagerly
suck it up. The impostor ends up taking the place of the useful metals, throwing a wrench into systems throughout the
body.
Lead is especially toxic to young brains. Studies suggest that just a small amount of lead exposure during the toddler
years may permanently shave off 5 to 7 points of a child's IQ. Studies suggest that early exposure to lead can also
increase the chances of learning problems, attention deficit disorder, truancy, and trouble with the law.
Lead exposure affects adult brains, too. Small amounts have been linked with memory problems, disturbed sleep, and
swings in personality and mood. As reported in a 2007 issue of International Review of Psychiatry, exposure to lead in
younger years may contribute to so-called "age-related"memory problems decades down the road. Some experts believe
that lead may also increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease. A 2008 study published in the Journal of Neuroscience found
that monkeys developed a condition very similar to Alzheimer's disease if they were exposed to lead as infants.
The dangers of lead reach beyond synapses and nerves. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, lead can
stunt a child's growth, damage hearing, increase blood pressure, impair fertility in both men and women, and cause
headaches and muscle aches.At extremely high levels, it can cause seizures and even death in both children and adults.
The Renton Municipal Airport Master Plan will establish the operational practices for the airport for the next
20 years. Without change and airport activity continues to increase at 6.36 CAGR the estimated yearly lead
pollution from the airport after 20 years would be 1 to 2 million grams/year, a 343% increase from the 2019
value, again with a disproportional amount of it falling on your neighbors to your airport. This clearly is not
sustainable.
Year Low Value in grams (Ibs) High value in grams (Ibs)
2019 394,643 (870) 657,745 (1,450)
Value after 20 years 1,354,474 2,257,481
with a 6.36 CAGR (2,986) (4,977)
I understand that much of the airport is under the control of the FAA and that the FAA is a very strong
advocate for aviation and plane owners but who is balancing this special interest? Who is representing
Renton residents if it is not our elected officials? People should be able to live in their city and not be
poisoned. People should be able to live in their homes and not be constantly harassed by aircraft noise.
These numbers show a clear and disturbing trend line which does not bode well for the future health and
quality of life in Renton.
Sincerely,
Jeff Dineen
320 Smithers Ave S
Renton Wa