Letters submitted by BDN readers are verified by BDN Opinion Page staff. Send your letters to [email protected]
A letter to the Bangor Daily News on July 12 by Kevin Slater warns about the pollution dangers of mining in Maine. Metal pollution from mines and other sources is a big problem, but we need these mines.
A typical cell phone uses 62 different metals, including about half an ounce of copper per phone. Considering the number of phones (along with laptops and other devices) we use and dispose of annually, we need large quantities of copper. If we do not mine copper in the U.S., it will come from countries where environmental standards are low to non-existent.
How much concern do multinational copper producers have for the environment and people of poor countries? I think little to none. Thus, land, water and people from other countries are badly harmed by our need for copper. As a major copper user, we have the choice of devastating countries poorer than us or producing the metals here at higher environmental standards. I believe people who say “think global and act local” are hypocrites to use metals but refuse to mine them here.
Dr. Joseph T. Kelley
Orono
