WOOLWICH TOWNSHIP, TAG, LANXESS, NEWSPAPERS & FILM

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries (pg. A3) the following article by Leah Gerber titled "Film looks back on Elmira's toxic past". It "stars" the following honest, local environmentalists namely Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach, Susan Rupert and yours truly Alan Marshall. There is also a newspaper photo of the departed Esther Thur who was a long standing member of the Elmira Environmental Hazards Team along with myself, Rich Clausi and Dr. Henry Regier. Finally there are two other people in it who are neither local residents nor citizens. ................................................................................................................ The article advises that Uniroyal Chemical in Elmira produced Agent Orange, a powerful herbicide containing dioxin that was sprayed in Vietnam (as well as in Ontario and New Brunswick). Both Elmira's aquifers and the Canagagigue Creek were poisoned courtesy of Uniroyal's (now Lanxess) production of NDMA, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and more. The article praises local activists and their dedication. "Everyone should celebrate them for their work". Furthermore in interviewing Ron Harpelle, one of the two filmakers from Thunder Bay, Leah Gerber writes "The filmakers hope it brings attention to a past wrong that still hasn't been made right: Cleanup of Canagagigue Creek and the aquifer is still ongoing.". ................................................................................................................ Dioxins have "...been linked to increased birth defects, particularly spina bifida, that continue today in Vietnam.". I will add that the medical effects from dioxins are actually much more damaging and extensive than mentioned in this article.