MORE ON THE OLD VARNICOLOR SITE

A little bit of news and considerably more thought, questions and speculation regarding this site. I have now received two more versions as to why the very large hole was excavated over two weeks ago. Both of these versions are less dramatic and more innocuous than the one I received late Thursday and posted here yesterday morning. One of these versions was in answer to my query to the Ontario M.O.E. District Office in Guelph. They emphasized that their understanding had as yet not been confirmed as they were sending an Officer out to observe first hand. The other source of information had a different story but it is possible that when the smoke clears there could be some elements in common with the M.O.E.'s understanding.

A couple of points need to be kept in focus. Twenty years ago when the remediation of this site was started, yours truly was very much in the early days of learning about hydrogeology. All of us at APTE were easy pickings for company or M.O.E. B/S. Secondly the current owners of this site had virtually zero to do with contaminating it. What I would like to know is what conditions or information was given to them in regards to the environmental status of the site prior to their purchase of it. I have repeatedly here in the Advocate made it clear that I believe there was a sweetheart deal between the M.O.E. and Uniroyal/Chemtura twenty years ago which gave Uniroyal 100% responsibility for the destruction of the Elmira Aquifer. Clearly that was false and the initial proof became public around 2000 by the admission that Ammonia contamination of the Elmira Aquifer came primarily from Nutrite/Yara.

At this point in time I have a lot of questions as to why a shallow pump and treat system is still operating twenty years after the shallow sources were all allegedly removed. My belief is that everything below 5 or 6 feet was ignored and is still down there. If this is so then operating a shallow pump and treat system now is ineffective and perhaps only window dressing. Regardless the newer owners should not be on the hook for the sins of either the older or of the Ontario M.O.E..