Gopher Resource highlights safety, environmental efforts in letter to Hillsborough Commissioners Gopher is getting proactive about cleaning up its act. CEO details steps taken to improve worker safety and reduce environmental impact. The operator of a lead smelter that has recently come under fire sent a letter to the Hillsborough County Commission outlining its steps to ensure worker safety and keep its environmental impact to a minimum. Gopher Resource is one of a handful of companies nationwide that recycles lead batteries, most commonly used in cars. Its Tampa facility was the subject of a Tampa Bay Times series, “Poisoned,” that alleged the company had exposed workers and residents in the surrounding area to toxic levels of lead.