ENTOMBMENT OPTIONS-UNIROYAL SHAPES THE ALTERNATIVES

Flashback to 1998. Uniroyal got slapped with a 1,000 plus name Petition decrying their suggested permanent Entombment of their toxic wastes in the Envirodome/Toxidome/Mausoleum. Uniroyal's response was to form by invitation only the Excavated Wastes Working Group (EWWG). Uniroyal of course advised them that there were only three options to choose from namely 1) do nothing ie. Entombment 2) on-site destruction 3) landfill it off-site. UPAC members did what they did best at that time which was to simply go along with Uniroyal's claims including saying nothing regarding the membership of the EWWG.

Richard Clausi of the Elmira Environmental Hazards Team (EH-Team) stated in the February 2, 1998 Elmira Independent regarding this process that "It's a secret meeting on their property." "If the discussions are going to be held, they should be held in public. We do not believe in this kind of secret negotiations."

Very shortly afterwards Uniroyal had a change of heart and invited the EH-team to the party (secret talks). Our response was that since both the public and the media were excluded then we (EH) must exclude ourselves as well. All other parties invited, including APT, attended. It's difficult to say no when the captain of the football team asks you to dance.

Regarding Woolwich Township throughout the 90s let me merely quote Lois Gibbs of Love Canal fame. She stated that politicians had to be forced to "do the right thing and the "right" needs to be defined by the community, not the company.". There were a couple of exceptions on those Councils such as Bram Hollman and Deanna Zenger. Overall it was not good and both councillors and the province (M.O.E.), over and over again let the self-serving polluter and his client driven consultants shape the choices and make all the decisions. Unsurprisingly very little favoured the community's interests.