DIOXIN (AGENT ORANGE) CLEANUP COMING TO ELMIRA

According to our local, notorious world class polluter, they stopped dumping them into the ground in 1963. This was when their production of Dioxin contaminated herbicides ended. A mere half century later the company are poised (sort of) to clean them up. Over fifty years of Dioxins in the air, the soil, groundwater and the creek are going to be addressed again. Seven years ago DDT and Dioxins were removed from creekbanks and sediments on site. This time two former gravel pits which were intentionally used to handle liquid runoff from the east side pits will be addressed.

All signs are positive that Chemtura and their consultants will attempt to buffalo CPAC as they have so sucessfully done in the past. With notable exceptions including Dr. Henry Regier and myself this was resisted. Furthermore as this was considered "new" evidence when it was confirmed in 2002, some older CPAC members were also willing to dig in their heels and demand more. Old contamination such as west side DNAPLS of course was covered by the M.O.E./Uniroyal sweetheart deal. Chemtura are claiming that this cleanup is "voluntary" because there are no off-site receptors. Their logic is perverse and self serving and only the Ontario Ministry of Environment are corrupt enough to accept it. Chemtura and their consultants wish to use a combination of capping and soil excavation to the remarkable depth of .3 metre (1 foot) to remedy this environmental tragedy.

How do they justify a minature cleanup versus the real deal? First of all they take very few soil samples and all at shallow depths. Secondly they do the same with groundwater testing. They sample wells in UA1 (upper aquifer 1) but not in the deeper UA3 (upper aquifer 3). Then with cherry picked sampling they can jump to incredibly inaccurate conclusions which remarkably save them millions of dollars in cleanup costs. Did you really think that polluters pay consultants big dollars because they want to do the right thing? Hardly! If the consultant isn't finding and interpreting data which saves the polluters big money then that consultant better look elsewhere for business.

CPAC (Chemtura Public Advisory Committee) is one week away namely Thursday April 26/12, 6 pm. in the Woolwich Council Chambers, Church St. Elmira, Ontario. I expect great things from our CPAC under the new Chairmanship of Dr. Dan Holt, ably assisted by five other community members.