It is often ironic and dangerous that products intended to improve safety and convenience can cause personal injury. According to a recent report, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources identified one of these potentially defective products. A de-icer product being sold to consumers contains high levels of radiation that are unacceptable, according to an ODNR study.
ODNR found that samples of the de-icer AquaSalina had levels of radium 226 that were, on average, 300 times higher than US EPA Safe Drinking water limits. Some samples had ranges as high as 500 times background radiation in radium 226 and 228. Samples of this product were tested by ODNR after being purchased from stores.
Advocates for more stringent regulation claimed that more than five million gallons of this and other radioactive product were sold. They say that these products may be responsible for unsafe radioactive discharges into state waterways.
Consumers were not informed of these alleged dangers. Similar products are used as de-icers in portable restrooms, residential driveways, sidewalks and patios and as dust control for rural roads. Opponents of their use also argue that there was no safety testing.
Safety advocacy groups asked Ohio lawmakers to apprise the public of these findings. They also called for laws to stop the sale of this and other similar products. Many advocates have also called for the withdrawal of Ohio House Bill 393, which would facilitate sales of this product and identify it as a commodity. HB 393 would forbid any regulation of the sales of potential cancer-causing brine if a seller files paperwork indicating that this product was approved for use somewhere else. The manufacturer of this product has filed these documents, so ODNR approval would be, in all likelihood, a foregone conclusion.
A victim of injury caused by defective or recalled products may be entitled to compensation and damages for injuries or health problems in a products liability lawsuit. An attorney can help gather the evidence and medical testimony to attempt to support this legal action.