The Salton Sea: A Realistic Solution to a Desperate Cause

Imperial Valley, California, January 15, 2016 (Newswire.com) - With the funneling of agricultural waste into the Salton Sea, the lake has become a pool of pollutants. As shorelines recede, toxic dust rises into the air that locals breathe. Current solutions range from $3-9 billion, and would take years to implement. The proposed plans also place emphasis on protecting wildlife, rather than addressing the immediate issue: human lives.

Invisible Sea has devised a short-term solution that is both inexpensive, and environmentally friendly. Invisible Sea suggests covering the exposed lakebed with a copolymer sealant at the estimated cost of $20 million a year. No other solution is hasty enough to mitigate this issue swiftly enough. The copolymer sealant will prevent harmful particulates from becoming airborne while a more permanent solution is created.

This plan is not a primary, long-term solution for the Salton Sea air quality disaster. But we are saying that this is the best way to suppress dust while funds come in for medium and long term projects. This plan is a transition to the medium and long term products, but a transition plan that will save many lives from air quality related respiratory and cardiac diseases.

Andrei Doroshin, Executive Director - Invisible Sea

Copolymer’s strength in molecular bonds allows a water resistant matrix of solid mass to be created when fused and dried with soil. The copolymer Invisible Sea has selected as the preferred product is called Soiltac, manufactured by Soilworks. Copolymer sealants are durable, with a two to three-year reapplication rate. Copolymer sealants have been approved by the EPA for dust control measures and are used in military operations.

This method can be used in tandem with solutions suggested by other organizations and will provide rapid mitigation. Because of its adaptability, additional cleanup methods can be used after application, deeming the product future friendly.

If Soiltac is used, the result will be an improvement of air quality, satisfying EPA’s air pollution measures. Solitac biodegrades, hence the environmentally friendly aspect of the product. Solitac is inexpensive in both production and application, compared to the extremely cost-inefficient methods such as tilling or vegetation.   

Invisible Sea has proposed a feasible plan in comparison to multi-billion dollar alternatives proposed by other parties. State Legislature and water boards have waited too long to devise a solution, despite knowledge of risks to human health. We must take immediate action to save air quality, money, and lives. Invisible Sea is fully open to working with other agencies to make copolymer happen, because the sooner it happens, the faster air quality is improved.