SAFETY-KLEEN EXPANSION GATHERS STEAM

I am slowly receiving documents that were promised to me at the Mediation meeting with the Ontario Municipal Board last month. These include a Stormwater Management Report and a Geotechnical Investigation Report. There were no huge surprises as this data merely confirmed suspicions that I already had. For example it seems as if both on site creeks and man made drains have been moved about, on and near the Safety-Kleen site, more or less as desired by either Safety-kleen or their neighbour Forwell Sand and Gravel. One of these documents from the Grand River Conservation Authority even suggests that the location of the Breslau Drain is inaccurate on their documents and hence they the GRCA will change their documents to reflect the reality. Unexplained is how this happened.

In regards to development of this contaminated area, a number of boreholes were drilled to determine soil conditions for construction purposes. Page one of the Geotechnical Report has the following to say: "No boreholes were completed in the center area of the site, to avoid excavation of the contaminated soils in the known plume." Wow, one must at least respect their brass and honesty in this respect. Overall it appears as if the buildings and Storm Water Pond are being carefully built to avoid the worst contaminated areas which will then be covered with gravel and asphalt and or concrete. OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND syndrome is alive and well. Fourty plus years of waiting and allowing these contaminants to leach and drain into the Grand River apparently isn't good enough for this company or the Ministry of the Environment. The partial and minimal cleanup proposed will ensure that this leaching and draining continues on. This is the dirty little secret of most MOE cleanup plans. They rely on natural degradation, dilution and downstream dispersal paid for by the health of the natural environment, human health and taxpayers money.