Hydroelectric turbines at the Storage Plant had killed thousands of fish. When a decade of negotiations between the state of Michigan and the utilities failed to eliminate fish losses at the plant, the Michigan United Conservation Clubs and the National Wildlife Federation filed a complaint with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Michigan followed suit with litigation that sought compensation. This will be a legacy of tremendous environmental benefits for the people of the Upper Great Lakes. Ohio Citizen Action is calling on the Boy Scouts of America to halt the sales of their beryllium Eagle Scout ring and recall all beryllium containing jewelry sold by their organization.
Beryllium is a deadly metal.
Beryllium, a hard, lightweight metal with a high melting point, is used in some jewelry, military hardware, electronics, dental work and automobiles. Brush Wellman, Inc., headquartered in Cleveland, is the largest producer of beryllium in the country. People exposed to beryllium dust or fumes can develop chronic beryllium disease, an incurable lung ailment. A recent report by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health found that almost one-tenth of Brush Wellman's workforce at their Elmore, Ohio plant has beryllium disease or have blood levels indicating they are at risk of developing the disease. Ohio Citizen Action believes workers handling beryllium in other industries are unaware of the dangers posed by the metal.