Detroit dock collapse is a wake-up call

Justin Onwenu, Sierra Club Michigan staff

Last week, a southwest Detroit dock thought to be contaminated with uranium collapsed into the river. Authorities have assured the public that there is little to no risk of uranium exposure in our water sources based on extensive tests done on the Detroit River and soil tests done on site.

More: State: Samples from Detroit dock collapse site show 'no risk to health'

More: Lawmaker urges probe of dock collapse at Detroit site that once had radioactive material

Let me be clear: Not having uranium in the Detroit River is great news, but it’s also a ridiculously low bar to set for public safety and healthy waterways. This may not be the public health crisis that many feared at first glance, and for that we should be relieved, but there is still a lot at stake.

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