SOURCE REMOVAL - THE DIRTY WORDS CHEMTURA CANADA MOST HATES

Over the last week I have been posting about the toxic contaminants in the Canagagigue Creek sediments and immediately nearby floodplain soils. I have indicated both the unscientific, essentially mickey mouse sampling dates, locations and parameter choices. I have also advised of a very few specific contaminant concentrations and their locations in the creek, outside the creek (very little testing) as well as their distance downstream from the Chemtura facility here in Elmira. Just for clarity my concerns are for not only the "natural" environment including sediment dwelling organisms, fish, birds, reptiles and mammals further up the food chain but also for human beings either fishing in the creek, living beside it and children playing in and around it. Finally there are other life forms which have been affected by the toxic contamination in the Canagagigue Creek and that is domesticated animals. With my own eyes this year (2016) I have seen cattle crossing the creek, stirring it up and drinking from it. So much for the bull manure we at CPAC have been told for many years about cattle being fenced away from the creek. Just more lies from Chemtura and their friends in both high and low places. These cattle of course are used for both commercial milk production and also human consumed beef.

All these Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) plus other classes, contrary to Chemtura, their consultants and the Ministry of Environment's advice are not stablized. They are not locked up in the soil. They are not biologically unavailable. They have been intentionally drained via both groundwater and surface flow from the east side retention pits (RPE 1-5 & more) southwards and slightly eastwards onto the Stroh and Martin properties. Here a fraction of them have been temporarily stored both at ground surface and deeper, chemically attached to soil particles. These chemical bonds are a function of soil type as well as of Total Organic Carbon (TOC) in the soils.

Why are these toxic "sinks" still able to mobilize? Partly it's because of normal, ongoing surface water flow and runoff. The biggest problem however is the coming 100 year flood. As Dr. Jackson has advised; with climate change, it's not if it's when. In fact there is a map of the 100 year floodplain dated May 2012, in a Conestoga Rovers (Chemtura's consultant) report titled "Scoped Environmental Impact Study" dated May 2013. This map clearly shows that not only is a huge area of former waste disposal ponds submerged on the west side of the creek but also but for one high ridge of land the entire south-east corner of Chemtura including the Stroh Drain and the surrounding soils is also going to be submerged and scoured by the rampaging Canagagigue creek. These submerged soils include the most likely repository of Dioxins/Furans, DDT, PCBs and other POPs.

All of this will end up downstream most likely for many miles on both sides of the Canagagigue as well as on both sides of the Grand River. Is this bad luck or was this forseen a very long time ago Did the Ontario M.O.E. and Chemtura count on downstream flushing from the getgo to help clean the Chemtura site in Elmira