The areas around phosphate facilities in central Florida usually consist of cattle ranches and agriculture with some residential areas as well. The surrounding flora absorb (uptake) the toxic elements caused by phosphate mining, through the root system into the leaves from reclaimed mined soils.

Although ostensibly inert, like Chernobyl’s ‘undead’ isotopes, plastics are in fact intensely lively, leaching endocrine-disrupting chemicals.