Late last Sunday morning sulphuric acid began leaking from Barnhardt Manufacturing Company into the nearby North River. Sulphuric acid is a corrosive chemical that can cause severe skin burns on humans. However, this toxic chemical, upon entering the North River, lowered the River’s PH, which burns fish gills. While the exact number is not known, the Greenfield Recorder reported that there were up to thousands of dead fish, including but not limited to trout, bass, and longnose suckers.
Accidents will always happen, but why have such a corrosive, toxic chemical in close proximity to a river? It is a shame that a portion of North River will now need to completely rebuild its biodiversity. This is another example of why strict water quality standards are so important for healthy fisheries.
For more on this story check out the Greenfield Recorder’s article.
Photo courtesy of Charles Ricko
