DIACETYL- BUTTER FLAVOURING & "POPCORN LUNG"

Appropriately on April 1, 1999 the Elmira Independent wrote a story about Diacetyl odours coming from the Uniroyal plant. Tim Boose, Uniroyal spokesperson, suggested that Diacetyl was not dangerous. Turns out he was wrong as "popcorn lung" has since been identified as a health hazard. It seems that sticking one's nose in a bag of popcorn with artificial butter flavouring (Diacetyl) damages one's lungs. Certainly the residents of Elmira who used to smile and not be concerned about butter flavouring odours from Uniroyal have reason to be concerned now.

On April 20, 1999 in the K-W Record Bob Trotter wrote that there has been fourty years of Uniroyal polluting Elmira as of that date. He stated "What is needed are government officials and governments with enough guts to enforce the law. The people of this lovely little town have suffered enough.". Mr. Trotter was a well known local writer and reporter for a very long time. Jeff Merriman of Uniroyal also had an opinion piece in the same edition. I would characterize Mr. Merriman's comments as very well done bullshit.

In the May 21, 1999 Elmira Independent Murray Haight (M.O.E.) advised UPAC that until a few weeks ago Uniroyal were still leaving doors and windows open in Building # 19, the source of Diacetyl odours. Henry Regier responded that "This is ridiculous. Therefore the vacuum system's effectiveness is reduced.". The purpose of the vacuum system was to funnel odours and air emissions to a scrubber system prior to their discharge to the air.

In the May 22, 1999 Woolwich Observer was a story suggesting that after five years APT Environment were thinking of rejoining UPAC. David Ash of Uniroyal made it clear that he and the company still had no interest whatsoever in rejoining after their walkout earlier that year.

On May 22, 1999 we were advised that the Envirodome/Toxidome/Mausoleum would likely have all its' contents removed and trucked to Corunna, Ontario by July of that year. Both Susan Bryant and myself suggested leaving the building in place for future storage of hazardous waste. As of the present Uniroyal/Chemtura/Lanxess have not indicated that they have used the building for that purpose.

The Elmira Independent of June 25, 1999 advised that Murray Haight will stay with the M.O.E. until the end of the year. There was also a picture with the story of my parked car with a banner on the roof which stated "Uniroyal Having A Bad (H)Air Day". Uniroyal were less amused than the rest of the CPAC members. Henry Regier and Pat McLean both agreed that the Envirodome (Bldg. # 60) should remain after being emptied, on site.

In the good old days we had many different voices hammering Uniroyal to improve and become more responsible.