As fishermen, we are more likely than most to encounter floating or washed-ashore debris from July’s catastrophic blade failure that occurred 12 miles offshore of Nantucket. The area over which pieces of this blade have been found is mind-blowing, basically from the Outer Cape Beaches to at least the border between Rhode Island and Connecticut and it probably won’t be long before it lands in Montauk and finds its way into Long Island Sound as well.
You probably saw the photos of cleanup crews on Nantucket, cloaked in hazmat suits collecting the debris from the beaches there. Those images put a lot of people on edge, because it seemed that the debris was hazardous to human health. We have since learned that the blade was made from rigid PVC foam, fiberglass and polystyrene resin which, as the official statement promises, are “inert, non-soluble, stable and non-toxic” substances. These materials are commonly used in boat building, but do have some carcinogenic properties, although the risks are far greater when the material is being made than after it has cured. So perhaps it would be better to call it ‘relatively safe’ but, don’t eat it!
While there has been no official word from any New England state so far, there was some guidance provided by RI DEM. Anyone that finds this debris on the beach should leave it where it is so that it can be properly tracked and disposed of appropriately. Additionally, anyone that finds this debris is encouraged to call the wind farm’s cleanup contractor at 833-609-5768.
