AUGUST 2001 & THE UNIROYAL STENCH CONTINUES

In the August 28, 2001 K-W Record we are advised by Bob Burtt that Uniroyal had their third spill in three weeks. Wow I'll bet they don't brag about those kinds of records they've set. A product known as Naugard 445 leaked from Buiklding # 28 on site.

On September 1, 2001 Susan Bryant wrote an excellent Guest column in the Woolwich Observer. She described a CPAC meeting held at Uniroyal/Crompton with a plant tour included. We were supposed to be seeing some of the changes made to reduce air emissions. To the shock of CPAC they saw an open concrete pit where sludge from Crompton's waste water treatment system was sitting, stewing in the sun. There was also a big open vat where the sludge was being dewatered. These were outdoor processes completely unenclosed with zero air emission controls. The stench was the same awful stench that occasionally engulfs Duke St.. Keep in mind that this was occurring three years after the initial 1998 summertime "fumigations" that had netted Uniroyal Chemical a $168,000 fine. Clearly for them merely a cost of doing business. On August 31, 2001 Julie Sawyer of the Elmira Independent reported on the same matter. The on-site water treatment is located at the southern end of the site. Shannon Purves-Smith of APT identified the stench as the smell that residents on Duke St. had long been complaining about. She described it as the smell of 100 full outhouses. "It should be enclosed, covered up." Shannon stated.

The October 27, 2001 Woolwich Observer published an article titled "Elmira fertilizer firm faces M.O.E. Control Order". Nutrite (Hydro Agri) later called Yara were ordered to clean up ammonia which they had introduced into the groundwater from their site immediately west of Uniroyal/Crompton. Bill Dunbar the manager at the time of Nutrite wasn't admitting anything.

In regards to air sampling, the Elmira Independent in October 2001 somewhat incorrectly suggested that Ron Campbell of Acute Environmental would be taking the lead on air sampling off-site. Presumably this was to lessen the load on the volunteers who had been doing it for some time. Both Uniroyal and Shannon Purves-Smith expressed their agreement with the plan. Unfortunately it fell through although no media reports followed with the reasons why. Ron years later was an excellent, environmentally experienced member of CPAC from 2010 till 2015. His technical experience and his personal integrity were and are a huge boost to CPAC then and now.

In the K-W Record Bob Burtt reported on a CPAC meeting dealing in part with Lindane, a Uniroyal pesticide. Ron Ormson of CPAC stated "Lindane is a big issue in this community and there is a lot of evidence to suggest it is very dangerous." Esther Thur of both CPAC and the Elmira Environmental Hazards Team (EH-Team) had done considerable research on Lindane and was in complete agreement with Ron's position. Yours truly commented on Uniroyal/Crompton's lawsuit against the Canadian government by suggesting that in light of the government review of Lindane ending in the spring, Crompton's $100 million lawsuit was ridiculous.

As far back as December 2001 plans were underway for a new ammonia treatment system. The building costs would be assessed as 1/3 from the Province of Ontario and 2/3 from Crompton and Nutrite. Operating costs would be 50/50 between the province and the two companies. A pretty good deal for two polluters don't you think in having the taxpayers subsidize their cleanup costs yet again.