Our environment is changing around us in subtle yet material ways. We share a responsibility to keep informed and to take action.  Here are some of the environmental issues that OCION products are working to correct.

ALGAE 

Algae is a major symptom of  eutrophication – a leading cause of environmental degradation cited as one of the most widespread environmental problems of inland waters by the United Nations Environment Program. Algae is also an operational nuisance leading to broken down water systems and the production of toxins and noxious gases harmful to humans and animals alike.

GREENHOUSES GASES AND CLIMATE CHANGE 

Carbon Dioxide. Along with fossil fuel combustion and deforestation, algae, soil bacteria and fungi contribute to the release of carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere when they decompose. As the planet warms under climate change, bacterial growth is not only encouraged but soil respiration and carbon dioxide release accelerates – doubling with every 5–10°C increase in temperature.  It’s called a positive feedback loop – or vicious cycle.

Methane is a potent greenhouse gas over 20 times more effective in trapping heat in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide (CO₂) over a 100-year period.  Remaining in the atmosphere between 9-15 years, human activity is increasing the amount of methane released by microbes by an estimated 150 million tons annually. Sources include landfill sites, rice paddies, wastewater treatment, oil and gas systems and agricultural activities.

NOXIOUS GASES

Fermenting organic waste can give rise to noxious gases such as ammonia and hydrogen sulphide as well as methane if not managed properly.  Indoor air quality in agricultural and industrial settings represent significant health and safety concerns for workers and animals alike.

The issues around world water quality and supply are complex and remedial solutions similarly complicated. They are also profoundly heart renching. For many people in the water rich regions of the world, the urgency is difficult to comprehend. The impact is felt more profoundly as economic loss rather than loss of life. But it is loss nevertheless.

A THREAT TO HUMANKIND

Water pollution is a major global problem—arguably the leading worldwide cause of death and disease accounting for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily. According to the World Water Council, 1.1 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water and 2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation. 1.8 million people die every year from diarrheal diseases, including 90% of children under the age of five. This urgent situation is only worsening.

NO COUNTRY IMMUNE

While water issues are acute in developing countries, the industrialized world struggles with water pollution problems as well. In 2007, the US Environmental Protection Agency reported that of the water bodies assessed, 45% of stream miles, 47% of lake acres, and 32% of bay and estuarine square miles were classified as polluted.

In the U.S., agriculture is the primary cause of water quality impairment. Forty-three percent of the U.S. population has suffered pathogen contamination in drinking water caused by concentrated livestock feeding operations. According to the Pew Environment Group, the failure of certain livestock waste lagoons has been compared to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in terms of catastrophic environmental damage. Harmful algae blooms, caused by municipal, industrial and agricultural runoffs also produce sometimes deadly toxins.

In 2008, some 93 Canadian First Nations communities lived with boil-water advisories or “Do Not Consume” orders—the situation continues despite media attention.

“Water receives less attention than other environmental issues, such as the climate and pollution, but the problem of water scarcity is at least as important—and, arguably, more pressing—than that of global warming,”( Financial Times, December 2008) adding that “a rising global population, industrialization, pollution, and climate change itself are all putting fresh-water supplies under strain.” [1]www.qfinance.com/sector-profiles/water

At OCION we take our role as stewards of the environment seriously. OCION products are environmentally responsible and safe for humans, livestock, aquatic life and agricultural crops, when used as directed.

MINUTE MINERAL DILUTIONS

OCION’s AIM technology allows OCION products to control micro-organisms – including algae, bacteria, and fungi – while using extremely low concentrations of natural mineral ions. Our mineral dilutions are not widely inconsistent with naturally occurring background levels, to help ensure a ready return to balance. Depending upon the application and conditions, concentration levels can be balanced to protect the environment.

RETURN TO BALANCE

This is how it works. Typically, the application of OCION products to water, organic wastes, plants or food results in the mineral ions becoming bound by target micro-organisms or other organic matter. In this state, the bound minerals are no longer biologically active. These mineral ions stay with their host microbes, and are typically assimilated into the natural environment without creating a mineral imbalance. Where severe conditions dictate aggressive treatments in the early stages, restoring environmental balance may be delayed.