Tuesday, January 21, 2014

CHEMTURA CANADA PROGRESS REPORT - DECEMBER 2013



Firstly with the recently reduced pumping rate at pumping well W4 (11.4 down to 3.5 l/sec) both the on and off-site pumping/extraction wells met their target pumping rates for December. The Containment and Treatment System (CTS) discharge effluent all met their Effluent Limits although both nitrosomorpholine (NMOR) and Toluene exceeded their Effluent Objectives.

We are advised on page four that a new well (OW171) has been drilled northeast of W4 and that both soil and water samples have been taken. There isn't much point in drilling a well if you aren't going to sample it and likewise advising us that you've done so but not providing the results is a little strange. Is this going to be but yet another example of non cooperation between Chemtura, their consultants and CPAC or are they going to provide the sample results at the upcoming public CPAC meeting(Jan. 30/14) ?

We are advised on page five that there was a loss of containment at one of the upper aquifer wells during December. This system (UACTS) is to keep the groundwater levels below the surface water levels of Canagagigue Creek hence stopping contaminated discharge into the creek. Table A.3 gives us the concentrations of numerous chemical compounds within the groundwater. The two most outstanding ones were Toluene and NDPA (nitrosodiphenylamine). Toluene concentrations varied with 30,000 , 110,000 , and even a ridiculous 780,00 ppb. NDPA varied from 8,300 to 18,000 ppb. NDPA is simply DPA (diphenylamine) combined with a nitroso molecule. DPA is also known as benzidine and been a known cause of bladder cancer for decades.

Attachment B gives us information regarding what are known as MISA discharges. MISA stands for Municipal industrial Strategy for Abatement. These are allegedly surface water discharges from Chemtura into the Canagagigue Creek. Unfortunately they also pick up infiltrating contaminated groundwater. Unfortunately over the decades there has been very little improvement in the quality of these discharges to the creek. Lindane, ammonia and carboxin are examples of this neverending small quantity discharges.

Attachment E deals with a set of off-site sentry wells that Chemtura use and abuse (the data). Figure E.4 is especially egregious as it purports to show a decreasing trend in both Chlorobenzene and in NDMA. The trend is very slight whereas the actual concentrations are remarkably high for both chemicals, twenty-four years after Chemtura's (Uniroyal) pollution was finally proven to have destroyed our local water supply.

All in all a remarkably glib, superficial and all is happy monthly "progress" report again.

2 comments:

  1. Does DPA (diphenylamine) = benzidine ???
    I have one source that says yes and another says no. There appears to be an extra hydrogen and an extra nitrogen in benzidine than in diphenylamine. If that's the case then they aren't the same.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. According to Wikipedia, they're completely different molecules:

      Benzidine vs. Diphenylamine

      Delete