A TOWN, A REGION AND A PROVINCE SCAMMED

In November 1989, NDMA was found in Elmira's south wellfield way above drinking water standards. The Ontario Minister of the Environment, Jim Bradley sent out a five man team in early 1990 to examine Elmira industry looking for contributers to this problem. At least two of these five persons weren't going to find anything. My suspicion is that none of them were ever supposed to find anything. It is conceivable based upon Jim Bradley's legitimate environmental credentials and despite his political opposition within the Liberal cabinet of the day, that he was unaware of the farce involved in looking for other sources in Elmira. Other of course meaning other than Uniroyal (Chemtura). Glen McDonald and Gord Robinson were the dynamic duo who examined Varnicolor Chemical. Without going into detail, other than Mr. McDonald's later firing and being charged criminally in regards to Varnicolor Chemical, let me simply say that these two put together couldn't find their own arses in a snowstorm.

NDMA & Chlorobenzene were both attributed solely to Uniroyal. Eight years later, Chlorobenzene was found as a free phase DNAPL behind Varnicolor Chemical, 100 feet beneath the surface. NDMA was and still is found in high concentrations at Industrial Rd. & Oriole Parkway (well CH38). This is almost immediately downgradient of the former Borg Textile. There was a long history of environmental issues with Borg both with storm drains on Howard Ave. as well as at the Sewage Treatment plant in town. NDMA is a possible by product of dyestuffs used at Borg including dyes from Hoescht in Germany. This scam and coverup has gone on long enough. Uniroyal figured it out nearly two decades ago and their price to keep quiet and not further embarass the Ontario M.O.E. has been borne by the citizens and the environment in Elmira.