LANXESS "WALK SOFTLY BUT CARRY A BIG STICK" - THE ATTEMPTED MURDER OF A DOCUMENTARY

It's taken a relatively short while to take the measure of Lanxess. The public and public interest have never been served by any of Lanxess's predecessors nor is it being remotely served now. True a corporation exists to serve it's shareholders allegedly. Or at least it's supposed to. I suppose sometimes it actually serves it's management team or its' majority shareholders versus all its' shareholders. Such is the human condition when most people have power or authority. They abuse it.

Corporations however are supposed to be working within the confines of the laws of the land. Laws that are sometimes more about appearance than substance however have been bent, distorted and ultimately broken by Uniroyal Chemical, Crompton, Chemtura and now it appears Lanxess. Again it's all about abuse of power. They've got it and money in spades and they seem intent on exercising it for their benefit and subsequently to the detriment of the public. Keep in mind they came into the purchase of Chemtura with their eyes wide open. Besides doing their normal due diligence regarding Chemtura, they were also on my Blog, the Elmira Advocate, reading about Chemtura prior to the finalization of their purchase.

Two k-W residents have been working on a Documentary about the Elmira Crisis for at least the last five years. Their Documentary is complete albeit it has both a longer and a shorter version. I have viewed them and have a preference for one over the other. Bonita Wagler and Michael Heitmann have sunk a big piece of their lives into this effort and they have made a concerted attempt to present both sides of the story. Some in the community, including me on occasion, do not much care for giving what I view as professional liars further opportunities to do just that. In order however for them to include commentary, opinions and responses of Chemtura, the M.O.E. and other fellow travellors and co-opted individuals; Michael and Bonita had to promise a balanced approach, a fair to all sides approach. They did that.

Now after purchasing Chemtura, Lanxess have rescinded their approval of the participation of Jeff Merriman, Chemtura's consumate mouthpiece and environmental engineer. Frankly I thought that Jeff had too much time and input in the Documentary. He gives the company far more credibility as well as excuses than they deserve. Nevertheless Lanxess are flexing their muscles and are inhibiting the presentation of this Documentary to the public. They are using their power and influence inappropriately and once again the public are the losers. Good to know exactly what kind of a company we are again having to deal with here in Elmira.

I suspect that Lanxess have but two possible opinions regarding the likelihood that the Stroh Drain area is a "sink" for Persistent Organic Pollutants such as Dioxins, DDT, PCBs and much more. One opinion is that they know very well in their hearts and minds that the area is an environmental disaster slowly and inexorably releasing and transporting these toxic compounds into the air, ground and surface water, soils and sediments further downstream. They know that both human beings as well as wildlife from above ground predators to lowly benthic communities within the creek itself have and are suffering because of the contamination. Their motivation for lying about it is simple money and not spending huge sums of it for the public good rather than for their own.

The second opinion is that due to their own soil and more testing which they've kept to themselves, they know full well that their liquid wastes did not flow into this low lying area. I do not know how that is possible but what I do know is that consecutive reincarnations of this company have all lied to the public about their site and its' contaminants. Therefore I have to ask if Lanxess or Chemtura have serious knowledge or evidence that their liquid wastes have not been carried either intentionally or unintentionally onto the Stroh property in bulk then why haven't they produced this credible evidence? To date they've given us unsubstantiated words and opinions. Frankly most of their "explanations" have been obvious hot air. Are they so petty that they'd rather not produce honest evidence that would clear them of the allegations of intentional dumping and diversion of toxic liquid wastes onto their neighbour's property? In other words do they feel so unaccountable to the public and the law that they are actually sticking their middle fingers up in the air and saying "Make me!"? Are they actually revelling in their lack of need to defend themselves and their apparent abhorrent behaviour? Perhaps their confidence is at least partially based upon having the Ontario Ministry of Environment grovelling at their feet.