cannabisnews.com: Hemp Could Clean Hazardous Waste Hemp Could Clean Hazardous Waste Posted by FoM on October 31, 1999 at 13:44:25 PT By Deborah Angel Source: Charleston Gazette I'm pretty impressed with Mr. Atha's design for the oven to clean contaminated soil. But it does use propane to fuel this machine. I think there is still a better, more natural way to clean contaminated soil....HEMP! Phytoremediation is the process of using plants to restore soil to it's original condition, maybe even better. This process has been used in Poland and is better known for the cleansing of the soil around Chernobyl after the nuclear disaster. It can also be used to clean up metals, pesticides, solvents, explosives, crude oil, polyaromatic hydrocarbons, and toxins leaching from landfills. Plants break down or degrade organic pollutants and stabilize metal contaminants by acting as filters or traps.PHYTOTECH is conducting field trials to improve the phytoextraction of lead, uranium, cesium-137, and strontium-90 from soils and also from water. Hemp is proving to be one of the best phyto-remediative plants that has been found. Chernobyl may seem distant, but the EPA estimates that there are more than 30,000 sites requiring hazardous waste treatment throughout the U.S., including Hanford and Three Mile Island. Phytoremediation with industrial hemp could be used at many of these sites. Unfortunately, the U.S. government refuses to legalize the cultivation of industrial hemp and clings to the obsolete myth that it is a drug. When is our government going to think about the people first? When are they going to do what is best for us and stop the lies and get down to reality. Hemp is a good thing and can do a lot for this country! Not to mention what benefits are to be had here in WV. With the election close at hand maybe people should reevaluate their candidates (local and national) and find out who is really working for the people and not working for government! I don't mean to take anything away from Mr. Atha, but isn't natural, better? This process was patented by God not man. He gave us this wonderful tool, we should use it. In this time of "Modern Techonology" sometimes it is better to go back to the old natural ways. It would be cheaper and much more efficient. Instead of a patent, just plant a seed. Not only should we plant hemp on those bald mountains, but plant it in the toxic wastelands and landfills. Deborah Angel Belva, WV 26656 Published on Sunday October 24,1999,Charleston, Gazette, Charleston, WVRelated Article:W.Va. Hemp Has a Hard Row To Hoe - 9/28/99http://www.cannabisnews.com/news/thread3058.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #2 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on May 01, 2001 at 08:02:17 PT: Hemp and Bioremediation Nicholas, please check out this URL:http://www.alltheweb.com/cgi-bin/search?type=all&query=hemp+bioremediationThere is also a brief section on hemp and toxins in:McPartland, JM et al. Hemp Diseases and Pests, CABI Publishing, 2000. [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by nicolas on May 01, 2001 at 05:14:20 PT: phytoremediation using hemp I am student in phytoremediation. and it's the first I heard that hemp could be use for phytoremediation. I am quite (well) surprised. Could precise:your referenceswhat are hemp properties in remediation: extraction, stabilisation, filtration?what kind of compounds are concerned: organics, heavy metals, radionucleides...?Thanks NicoJah rastafari [ Post Comment ] Post Comment Name: Optional Password: E-Mail: Subject: Comment: [Please refrain from using profanity in your message] Link URL: Link Title: