Supervisors get an update on frac sand study

University of Iowa professor Dr. Peter Thorne, the head of the university's Department of Occupational & Environmental Health, told Winneshiek County supervisors on Monday that his study of air quality associated with the mining, processing, and transportation of industrial frac sand should be mostly completed in January.

Dr. Thorne gave an update on the study Monday, listing the procedures his students are following to monitor air quality at frac sand locations in Wisconsin and MInnesota.

Dr. Thorne listed eight possible side effects of frac sand, but concentrated on the health problems that could be caused by airborne fine sand, including COPD, lung fibrosis and lung cancer.

The University of Iowa is making recommendations to both Winneshiek and Allamakee counties as a part of the study.