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California To Drop State Rock Over Asbestos Concerns

Diamonddavej writes "The LA Times reports that Californian legislators are close to dropping the translucent green rock Serpentine as the state rock of California because of its tenuous association with chrysotile asbestos. Sen. Gloria Romero declares in her bill (SB 624) that Serpentine should be dropped as California's state rock because it 'contains the deadly mineral chrysotile asbestos, a known carcinogen, exposure to which increases the risk of the cancer mesothelioma.' The bill has backing from mesothelioma support groups. Critics point out that Serpentine is a group of 20 different minerals, and Californian Serpentine rarely contains much chrysotile, never mind its dangerous fibrous asbestos form. Its is suspected that lawyers involved in asbestos compensation claims and cleanup companies will profit from the bill. Vast tracts of California where bedrock is made of Serpentine could be declared hazardous to health... even if it contains no crysotile at all! It looks like SB 624 will be passed; it won unanimous bi-partisan support from an Assembly committee last week."

5 of 256 comments (clear)

  1. And People Wonder... by sycodon · · Score: 0, Troll

    ...why CA is so screwed up.

    --
    When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
    1. Re:And People Wonder... by Vinegar+Joe · · Score: 0, Troll

      ...why CA is so screwed up.

      All the nuts head west.......when they reach the Pacific they can't go any further.

      --
      "The average reporter we talk to is 27 years old......They literally know nothing." - Ben Rhodes
  2. Re:State rock assignments are dangerous! by commodore64_love · · Score: 0, Troll

    Dear friend:

    Let me introduce you to clean coal. I learned about it from my Electric Car friend. Basically it's coal that is burned extremely hot, so that there's nothing left but gas, and the gas is 99.999% filtered to remove impurities. What's left is cleaner than sucking fumes from a Prius.

    --
    "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
  3. Re:State rock assignments are dangerous! by commodore64_love · · Score: 0, Troll

    >>we can *all* make totally bogus facts up!

    Yes we can but in this case - I didn't. The modern plants built since 2000 really are cleaner than the exhaust coming-out of your Prius. That also means an EV powered by this clean coal electricity is cleaner than a Prius.

    --
    "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - historian Evelyn Beatrice Hall
  4. What about the state mineral? by AxeTheMax · · Score: 0, Troll

    According to the LA times article, the state mineral is gold! Do they know that gold is a heavy metal, and as poisonous as lead? (Yes alright, I know it has get into your blood in soluble form or something, and that is a bit difficult to manage, but if it did happen, it would be poisonous).