While I was reading Doug Kaupp’s 2011 Fluoride Report to Lethbridge City Council, the last paragraph really stuck out to me. He was discussing steps that he would suggest if the fluoride use were to be discontinued. He writes:

“In order to receive favourable pricing, the utility purchases the fluoride chemical [hydrofluorosilicic acid] in bulk, delivered by tanker truck. Therefore, we have storage facilities large enough that these shipments can be received with minimum storage levels to manage the risk of running out [what a tragedy that would be]. The amount of HFS acid storage on site can range from 3-20 tonnes. This represents between one and five months supply. The operational preference would be to avoid the cost of chemical disposal by continuing fluoridation of the water long enough to consume the chemical inventory.”

Does this upset any of you? If as citizens we decide that fluoride is in fact poisonous, our General Manager of Water And Wastewater would prefer to continue diluting the toxic waste into our water, rather than pay the chemical disposal cost. I called SENA Waste Services in Swan Hills to determine the cost of such a disposal. The cost for disposing of “municipal water grade” fluoride started at 1 dollar per kilogram, depending on, get this, the levels of other toxic contaminants.

So, according to Kaupp’s report, the Lethbridge fluoride storage facility has a 20 tonne capacity, which represents about a five month supply. From this, I estimate our yearly fluoride usage at 48,000 kilograms. That means, that every year, we are fluoridating our water with toxic waste that would otherwise cost nearly $50,000 to dispose of. It is easy to see why the fertilizer manufacturers are thrilled to sell us this stuff, instead of footing the disposal bill themselves.

Come on everyone, let’s give our heads a shake. This is total nonsense, and it’s high time for it to stop.