MEASUREABLE NDMA IN CANAGAGIGUE CREEK

Two days ago I received the monthly Chemtura Canada Progress Report- June 2010. Despite the above headline concerning NDMA, in fact there has been relatively good news on the hydraulic containment front for some time now. Both the on-site and off-site pumping are at long time historical highs.

Especially considering the above average rainfall and hence higher presumed flow in the "Gig", it is very disappointing to be measuring 40 parts per trillion (ppt.) of NDMA in the "Gig". The drinking water standard is 9 ppt. This is described in both the text and in Appendix C.

Appendix B concerns MISA (municipal industrial strategy for abatement) data. MISA outflows to the "Gig" are supposed to test storm runoff and cooling water discharge. Unfortunately for decades they've also measured Uniroyal/Chemtura discharges of chemicals to the CanagaGIGue Creek. This June 2010 report lists discharges of Lindane, Aniline, Carboxin and Benzothiazole.

On page 6 of 7, of the text there is a Table described as Trend Analysis Results. Conestoga Rovers (consultants) are masters of good news. Of six monitoring wells they indicate four have decreasing trends of Chlorobenzene and one of NDMA. What they fail to clearly point out is that they are comparing today (2010), a period of very high pumping, with 2008 when most of the On & Off site wells were shut down for the Ammonia Treatment System refit & expansion. As a result Chemtura's on site buried wastes, contaminants and DNAPLS were allowed to flow off-site, essentially unchecked, during 2008. What is however interesting is the expected reduction in nearby off-site Chlorobenzene (4 of 6) compared to only one reduction out of six wells for NDMA. This I believe is merely more evidence that there are other sources of off-site NDMA. The off-site sources of Chlororbenzene are further downgradient (southwards) whereas, as confirmed by Alan Deal of Conestoga Rovers via teleconference call at the last CPAC public meeting, there is a monitoring well west of Chemtura near the former old Shirt Factory with historically high NDMA readings, in the Municipal Aquifer.

The next public CPAC (Chemtura Public Advisory Committee) meeting is scheduled for 9 am. in the Woolwich Council chambers on Monday August 30, 2010. The next secret CPAC meeting, time and place, is unknown to me, you and the unwashed masses by the choice of the CPAC Chair, Pat McLean, and hence probably also at the choice of Woolwich Council.