CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION VERSUS UNCONTROLLED ENVIRONMENTAL DESTRUCTION

Bizarre and absurd are appropriate words to describe the desperate stickhandling of Jeff Merriman, environmental engineer at Chemtura. A CPAC member has pointed out what in hindsight may be the most ridiculous statement of the year, despite tons of eligible whoppers already. Jeff and Steve Quigley of Conestoga Rovers were unhappy with the MTE Report presented a week ago last Thursday by Peter Gray. Now they already had a chip on their shoulders as they had been unable to obtain a copy prior to the meeting and thus be able to better attack the report. While they have indulged for decades in refusing to release reports ahead of time to CPAC, they sure think that their exalted status should permit them better treatment.

I referred to references in a number of reports including Peter's (MTE) report detailing "overflow" of toxic liquid wastes from Uniroyal's eastern pits namely RPE 1-5. This "overflow" went west, south and east, hence off Uniroyal's property onto the neighbouring farm. Keep in mind while RPE 1-5 are almost sitting on the property line, three other toxic pits namely BAE-1, RB-1 and RB-2 literally are sitting exactly on the property line. Yes that situation is beyond ridiculous but never fear Chemtura have raised ridiculous to new heights.

In an effort to deny "overflow" Jeff again shared with us his story of the past Indusrial Relations Manager, Harry Soehner, advising that Uniroyal staff on a somewhat regular basis would either open or breech these toxic ponds to intentionally let their contents flow onto the bare ground and run downhill across this permeable ground surface for hundreds of metres south into two former gravel pits, namely GP1 & 2.

Therefore in its' essence Chemtura's environmental engineer has advised CPAC, the public and Mayor-elect Sandy Shantz as well as Councillors-elect Merlihan, Hahn and L. Shantz that it's O.K. for Uniroyal/Chemtura to wilfully destroy the natural environment as long as it's done in a controlled fashion. Thank you Jeff for that insight.