Airport dump is adversely affecting the Castle Harbour ecosystem.

And after monitoring the waters for many years they regard them as very clean by recognised pollution standards.

The Royal Gazette revealed recently that new research showed poisonous heavy metals were leeching into the sea from the Airport dump. Early results showed metals, possibly including copper, zinc, iron, cadmium, magnesium and lead from cars, ovens and refrigerators, were poisoning the waters and harming the fragile reefs.

BBSR post-doctoral research scientist Dr. Sheila McKenna said: "Levels of metals are nowhere near toxic yet, but they are at such a level that they are affecting the eco-system.

"There are cars, batteries, scooters, ovens and refrigerators in the dump.

Metals are leeching into the water and the reefs are sick. We are still at the analytical stage and the study will continue until next summer, but there is a definite trend for higher concentrations of metals nearer the dump.'' But while they had noticed a gradient of metals higher near the dump, said Bermuda Biological Station for Research scientist Dr. Kent Simmons and Government environmental engineer Dr. Tom Sleeter, there was no evidence of any effect on the ecosystem.

They said the waters there had been studied along with other sites including Hamilton Harbour and Harrington Sound for 20 years as part of Government's Bermuda Inshore Waters Investigation.

The presence of metals in Bermuda's waters has also been observed in areas of St. George's and Hamilton Harbour, the scientists said in a Government statement.

Dr. Simmons noted that while people were sensitive to the idea of heavy metals, most of these are earth minerals which occur naturally in the environment and only pose a threat when they become excessively high.

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