Editor:
Re: Inconvenience of a rail route, June 13 letters.
I was impressed with Michael Klaver’s very cannily crafted letter that, if you did not take time to examine it in detail, would probably convince you that coal dust is the worst thing on the planet.
Let me answer his three questions:
• What is the safe limit of coal dust in human lungs? I suspect the answer is zero for any type of dust.
• Why are coal-train cars not covered? At the speeds they come through our neighbourhood, how can any dust be generated? It also costs money. How “safe” do you want to be? Coal is not a toxic substance.
• How many direct jobs will the expansion of coal exports from the Lower Mainland provide? I assume the letter writer is not up for one of these jobs and therefore even if it were 1,000, he would not be satisfied nor find it worth it.
My car garners dust by just standing outside. Doesn’t everyone’s? Maybe White Rock is just a dustier area.
Ivan Scott, Surrey