HUMAN SUFFERING CAUSED BY VAPOUR INTRUSION

Literally for decades people in the Bishop St.community in Cambridge suffered serious health consequences coming from inside their own homes. It affected parents and children including headaches, nausea, sleepiness, eye and respiratory irritation, impaired concentration and worse. From kidney, liver and reproductive damage to autoimmune diseases, developmental and neurologic effects all the way to fatal cancers. The cause was a chemical called trichloroethylene, handled irresponsibly by at least two companies located on Bishop St.

I am currently reading and absorbing a report titled "Trichloroethylene (TCE) Contamination in the Bishop Street Community, Cambridge, Ontario" written by the Ontario Agency for Health Protection and Promotion (May 2011). At first I was appalled at what appeared to be an attempt to minimize the cancer probabilities and effects that have occurred in the community. Further reading and I am aghast at all the "non-cancer endpoints". These serious health issues will have permanent physical and psychological consequences for some of the citizens of that community.

How you ask is this relevant to citizens of Woolwich township? Aside from the normal concern for our neighbours should be the realization that what has occurred from contaminated groundwater in Cambridge can occur anywhere. Fumes (vapour intrusion) from groundwater can enter through basements in concentrations highly injurious to human and animal health. Pets also get sick and die from this cause. Back on June 29/11 I posted an article regarding possible vapour intrusion in Breslau. This is an issue that most certainly our elected Council should be concerned with due to the numerous sources of contamination (and potential vapour intrusion) in Elmira.