Tuesday, August 31, 2021

HOW TO INJECT SPINE INTO THE ONTARIO MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT (i.e. MECP)

The lesson we learned in 1990-1992 was simple and straightforward. The "we" refers to myself, Rich Clausi, Ted Oldfield and Susan Rupert, all APTE members at the time. The lesson was that to get less talk and more action out of the MOE/MECP required us to publicly humiliate and embarass them. Unfortunately some other APTE members in positions of leadership such as Sylvia Berg and Susan Bryant were not of the same mindset. In hindsight they were looking ahead to their own political futures (Sylvia later ran for Mayor) and Susan ingratiated herself with Uniroyal Chemical and future owners as well as with Woolwich Township and the Region of Waterloo. ..................................................................................................................... The public humiliation consisted of over and over again publicly exposing the incompetence, deceit and blatant lies of the MOE/MECP. This was not difficult as we had not only access to both Lot 91 and the Union St. property of Varnicolor Chemical but we also had an "inside man". Sorry Severin but it was not your long time office manager, Jeanette. Each and every reassuring and calming lie that the MOE/MECP publicly told about Varnicolor, we garnered contrary evidence and exposed them in the media. ................................................................................................................................ While I've been doing my best to expose the lies and manipulations of Uniroyal/CRA/MOE for the last thirty years, they have been primarily paperwork lies. In other words fudged reports and investigations that the vast majority of citizens have neither the time, interest nor ability to get into as deeply as I have. Actual physical evidence has been difficult to obtain although the discovery of the Stroh Drain in 2014 certainly has thrown a monkey wrench into the guilty parties plans. Now we are beginning to obtain independent, physical evidence of the extent of contamination on the Stroh and Martin farms that has flowed from Uniroyal Chemical and their east side pits and ponds. Some of it has now been publicly released and more is on the way. Of course all the guilty parties have been again publicly stating that their are no more issues and that they have remediated the north-west narrow strip of land next to the Uniroyal/Lanxess border. Of course having found NDMA contaminated groundwater 240 metres to the east has been problematic. Of course finding three out of four TEQ (dioxin) exceedances of criteria in the sediments at the bottom of the Stroh Drain has been awkward. ..................................................................................................................... To date there has been no water testing of the Stroh Drain flowing ground and surface water. There has also not been any soil samples publicly released from in and around the Stroh Drain. I expect that some are available and Lanxess and co-conspirators simply haven't released them as they are too damaging to their credibility. Imagine the potential embarassment to all the guilty parties if currently private soil testing results became public.

Monday, August 30, 2021

STRATEGY TIME FOR CPAC MEMBERS

Is a shift occurring at TAG since the release of the 2020 Canagagigue Creek Sediment and Soil Investigation two months ago? If indeed it is then it's about time as far as I'm concerned. As mentioned previously, criticism and opposition to Sebastian's position that soil sampling needs to be done in and around the Stroh Drain was extremely muted at last Thursday's TAG meeting, as former critics perhaps understood that their continued opposition in the face of empirical evidence supporting Sebastians', my and CPAC's position could rebound on them. Regardless again as previously mentioned here both Wilson and Susan inaccurately portrayed the 24.4 parts per trillion (pg/g, ppt.) dioxin/furans in the Stroh Drain sediments as being a relatively low or innocuous concentration. .......................................................................................................... I pointed out the significance of 24.4 ppt dioxins/furans in Sediments in my August 10/21 post here. Further refinement has indicated that that concentration exceeds 92% of all Sediment concentration results from the recently received (2 months ago) 2020 Canagagigue Creek Sediment and Soil Investigation and a whopping 94% of all Sediment concentration results in the larger 2017 Canagagigue Creek Sediment and Soil Investigation report. What is even more significant is that compared to the dozens and in fact hundreds of samples taken on and around the Uniroyal/Lanxess facility in Elmira, that out of only two locations and four sediment samples taken in the Stroh Drain, all four had positive detections for dioxins/furans with three of the four exceeding the criteria (ISQG). .............................................................................................................. To date Lanxess representatives have vehemently, and dare I say even sneakily refused to take any soil samples in and around the Stroh Drain. The sneakily refers to a private conversation in 2020 relayed months later by Tiffany Svensson, TAG Chair, regarding my February 2020 written Delegation to TAG. The conversation was between Ramin Ansari of Lanxess and Tiffany in which he rejected my Delegation in its entirety and she decided not to so advise me the Delegate promptly. She may have advised TAG privately but certainly did not do so at a public meeting that I and members of the public could attend. There has since been a public statement in the TAG Minutes advising that Lanxess refuse any soil testing in and around the Stroh Drain. ...................................................................................................... CPAC (Citizens Public Advisory Committee) will be meeting this week to determine our future course of action. While logic, common sense and reasonableness have always escaped financially and politically powerful polluters, in this case Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura/Lanxess seem to have a stranglehold on brass and chutzpah. With the Ontario MOE/MECP in conjunction with Woolwich Township running interference for them they have managed to continually evade proper cleanup and remediation, both on and off their polluted site in Elmira. In hindsight local citizens have strongly promoted better cleanup strategies that the company have continually rejected in favour of cheaper, less effective methods. THis is why the 2028 cleanup promises of the Elmira Aquifers are now admittedly not going to happen. This is why the Canagagigue Creek is still full of toxic materials including PCBs, mercury, dioxins/furans, DDT, PAHs and more. ..................................................................................................... CPAC have already taken action unknown to our corrupt authorities. More is coming. Citizens of Elmira no longer owe a duty of courtesy to filthy polluters backed up by local and provincial political corruption.

Saturday, August 28, 2021

MORE ON LAST THURSDAY NIGHT'S TAG MEETING

Pages 3 and 4 in the Minutes from the TAG June 24/21 meeting discuss the inability of the Human Health Risk Assessment to consider protection for successive generations of (unborn) offspring. Wilson Lau of TAG attempted to clarify this matter to TAG members and the public. Speaking for myself I was left with the "trust me, it's been considered in the calculations", which I did not find adequate. This is not necessarily a shot at Wilson. ................................................................................................................................. Tiffany Svensson, TAG Chair, advised us that the previously secret "confirmatory sampling" along the northern Stroh and Lanxess property line extended to a whopping 30 cm. or LESS in depth. That means one foot deep or LESS. We, the public, and all TAG members have not received that data as useless as it may be. ..................................................................................................................................... Linda Dickson of TAG discussed planning issues around the east side (Stroh & Martin etc.) rezoning and proposed development. At one point I was starting to get the impression from the map that she was also including the east side of the Lanxess property in her discussion but courtesy of corrupt municipal officials (Sandy) I or other members of the public were unable to clarify that through a simple question to Linda. The unwashed masses as well as those with much greater knowledge are refused the right to ask questions at TAG meetings. ............................................................................................................................................... Karl Belan of the Region of Waterloo discussed the communications (at least) failures of so called "pulse pumping" at well E7 in the south end of Elmira. The Target Rate remains the same yet there is no clear pumping schedule or details as to when or why the pumping goes up or down. There is also according to Linda Dickson no information on the effectiveness of this "pulse pumping". My opinion is that it is likely just one more scam by Lanxess, in line with dozens of others by their predecessors, in order to reduce their costs of pumping and treating. ..................................................................................................... Sebastian indicated that now we have empirical evidence of dioxins/furans and DDD in the Stroh Drain courtesy of the 2020 Canagagigue Creek Soil & Sediment Investigation. This is therefore a new pathway taking contaminants into the Canagagigue and needs to be addressed and investigated. Susan Bryant spoke up and asked Sebastian why all the other creeks had both their sediments (bottom of the creek) as well as creekbank soils tested but the Stroh Drain was not sampled for creekbank soils. Sebastian agreed that that was a good question but he did not know Lanxess/GHD's reasoning. Sebastian also suggested that the ridiculously high Method Detection Limits (MDL) could be either to save lab costs and or a simple lack of will upon their part to get good data. Very high MDLs mask detections of contaminants very effectively hence saving cleanup costs as well (i.e.$$$). ...................................................................................................................................... Dustin Martin (TAG) asked whether their conceptual understanding is sufficient at this point in time. He understands that Sebastian wants investigation of the Stroh Drain and area. He then asked at what point do they advance. Susan Bryant picked up on the fact that despite Lanxess promises to sample the north-west area of their site in order to determine if past cleanups of DDT and more were effective, Lanxess/GHD did not do so. This includes areas around pits RPw1 and 2. .................................................................................................................................. David Hofbauer of TAG was Missing In Action yet again. His expertise and common sense are needed at TAG. Katerina attends regularly, pays close attention and is invested in the process. I see very good TAG members as well as others who have realized that careers can be lifted or lowered due to the politics and volatility of the situation. The unfortunately now regular attendance of mayor Sandy Shantz may be intended to drive that point home to TAG members.

Friday, August 27, 2021

TAG : THE WHEAT IS BEING SEPARATED FROM THE CHAFF?

Sebastian was excellent at last evening's TAG (Technical Advisory Group) meeting. That said both the recently released (2 months ago) 2020 Canagagigue Creek Soil & Sediment Investigation as well as Sebastian's four page report to TAG spoke volumes. It is much easier to defend Lanxess/GHD ignoring proper testing and sampling than to ignore hard labratory evidence of dioxins/furans presence in the Stroh Drain. Three out of four samples exceeded by a large margin the criteria for dioxins/furans in sediments. The fourth was just below the criteria. Hence criticism in the past of Sebastian's position looking for soil testing in and around the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB) was very muted last night. Tiffany, TAG Chair, as well as Dustin Martin were very quiet and uncommitted. That was a change. Wilson Lau and Susan Bryant while outwardly supportive of Sebastian's efforts and analysis both commented and minimized the dioxin/furan reading of 24.4 parts per trillion (.85 ppt. is the criteria). Susan ingenuously stated that that result was much lower than other sediment readings. That was barely half true as yes four dioxin sediment readings on the Lanxess site well exceeded the Stroh Drain highest reading however literally every other sediment sample taken in this report (46 of them) had dioxin concentrations LOWER than 24.4 ppt. Similarly Wilson stated absolutely incorrectly that other readings in the 2020 report were "...orders of magnitude higher" than the Stroh Drain result. That is plain wrong as the highest dioxin sediment concentration was 425.6 ppt. on the Lanxess site which is ONE order of magnitude higher. "orders of magnitude" means either one hundred times higher or 1,000 times higher or 10,000 times higher. Simply not true. ......................................................................................................................... Sandy Shantz's input was embarassing. To her. She revealed both her comittment to the Woolwich Township decision to change the zoning from agricultural to light industrial/commercial on the east side of Lanxess (i.e. the Stroh and Martin farms and others) as well as to building the Elmira By-Pass on the east side of Elmira. She further revealed her woeful knowledge of the flow of toxic substances including DDT, NDMA, lindane, dioxins/furans, PAH etc. from the former Uniroyal Chemical site into the natural environment in Elmira including the Canagagigue Creek. Sebastian gently tried to clarify for her that her insistence that the creek was more important than the privately owned Stroh and Martin property and hence needed to be everyone's sole focus was not particularly insightful. Afterall cleaning the creek first while ignoring upstream sources of ongoing contamination to it was counterproductive. Sandy appeared to reluctantly agree. ............................................................................................................ Tiffany referenced some "Problem Formulation Document". That is the problem with having private meetings Tiffany. I've attended ALL the public TAG meetings whether in person or virtual since Covid-19 struck. I've never heard of any "Problem Formulation Document" nor as a member of the unwashed masses (the public) I could not ask for clarification as to what she was talking about. Tiffany suggested that TAG's concerns regarding the high dioxin concentration in the Stroh Drain sediments be summarized and given to Lanxess where somehow (magically?) they would be addressed in this "Problem Formulation Document" due for release on October 1, 2021. Wow does that sound like bullsh.. to me. A totally unsatisfactory response. .............................................................................................. Likely more from last night's TAG meeting will be posted tomorrow.

Thursday, August 26, 2021

DOES "APESHIT" EQUAL "SNAKEBITTEN"?

Likely you will not find any of the great philosphers, past or present, ever debating this question. That's O.K. especially as I have no pretensions of ever being or having been any such thing. The first term is one that I have occasionally used to describe unusual behaviour from Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura/CRA. The second is one that Dr. Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach has used a number of times to describe Lanxess/GHD's response to any comments or questions surrounding soil testing in and around the Stroh Drain. Note carefully that I believe that neither Sebastian nor I attribute either "apeshit" behaviour or "snakebitten" behaviour to these companies personnel on a regular or ongoing basis. In fact the vast majority of the time those personnel are definitely projecting informed, knowledgable, professional behaviour. That is why both myself and Sebastian have been so surprised when they've behaved so loudly, defensively, and so bluntly on a single issue. ................................................................................................................ The single issue years ago (2004-2007) at CPAC meetings was when I would ask whether or not DDT and dioxins were actually DNAPL chemicals. My recollection is that it was both Dwighte Este and Jeff Merriman of Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura who overeacted so badly to what I felt at the time was a fairly innocuous question. Well! The defensiveness and hostility/aggression were palpable. Hence my thoughts that they went "apeshit". In no uncertain terms I was told that Dense Non Aqueous Phase Liquids (DNAPLS) included many heavier than water (i.e. density >1) chemicals but that other characteristics defined them and that dioxins/DDT were an entirely different cup of tea. Much more toxic and much more of a problem not to be mixed in with DNAPL discussions. Well again! ........................................................................................................... For Sebastian the term "snakebitten" has been used by him to describe Lanxess/GHD reaction to any suggestion whatsoever that soils need to be tested for dioxins/furans, DDT and more in and around the north end of the Stroh Drain. In particular Ramin Ansari of Lanxess has been trying desperately to slam that door shut. His obstinance and lack of reasonable rationale has been blatant. The fact that he seems to have support from the Ontario Ministry of Environment gives informed citizens exactly zero confidence. The Ontario MOE/MECP have been badly compromised on this file literally since the early 1980s. Some of the comments and arguments both from Ramin and Lou Almeida have exceeded the ridiculous. Arguments such as pouring a pail of water on the ground to then watch where it flows are absurd. Refusals to examine their own (CRA/MOE/Region of Waterloo) topographical maps to prove that overflowing toxic wastes gravity flowed from Uniroyal Chemical southwards and through the former swamp, south-east across the "Gap" area and onto the Stroh property are blatantly self-serving. ..................................................................................................... Dioxins and DDT, just like DNAPLS, are mobile. Probably far more mobile as they can be transported via wind, not just in soil, ground and surface water. Are these two separate issues or are the similar tantrum like behaviours indicative of a single, huge problem that for self-serving reasons ($$$$ and reputation) they do not want to address?

Wednesday, August 25, 2021

HISTORY LESSON-OCTOBER 24, 2015

A little reminder to citizens that our entire system is built for the purpose of protecting the participants of the system, not the citizens who are subject to it. This includes of course our judicial and political systems plus much more (perhaps educational, health care etc.). Back on October 24, 2015 the Woolwich Observer published an article titled "No further audit of Shantz's expenses; committee takes Marshall to task". Well that's O.K. because I sure as heck took those deceitful buggers to task as well. The committee was of course MECAC (Municipal Election Compliance Audit Committee). This committee is mostlr made up of retired/shunted aside former politicians who are still looking out for those in power as they once were. They are appointed by the municipal clerks in the Region of Waterloo which is a hoot. These Clerks are by provincial legisaltion actually supposed to be independent of the municipal councils that they work for. What a joke. They are hired and fired by the same so who are you kidding about independent from that same council. Regardless these MECAC folks were generally a pathetic disgrace and simply minimized and covered up the bad, illegal, questionable and incompetent behcviour of both Scott Hahn and Sandy Shantz. While Scott's errors were more egregious, blatant and obvious; Sandy showed her political savy and experience by making hers more subtle, smoother and at first blush less blatant. Unfortunately her fudging of her expenses (possibly to minimize the fact that she outspent her three mayoralty rivals together??) resulted in a very serious contravention of the Municipal Elections Act (MEA) as she well exceeded the $10,000 limit requiring an audit of her expenses. Of course that audit would have cost her more money that wouldn't help her get elected and hence that ausdit was no where to be found. ............................................................................................................................. The MEA insisted upon her getting immediately booted from office just as Councillor Mark Bauman had been. Local friendly judges, in a mockery of open, transparent and accessible justice, restored both of them to office albeit with conditions that mayior Shantz failed to ever comply with. Minor conditions such as a new election expense Financial Statement that was to include ALL her election expenses. She held out even on the last Financial Statement thus violating the conditions of her reinstatement to office. Those additional unreported expenses were provided (with proof) to the local prosecuter in K-W. Nada! ................................................................................................................................. The system looks after its' own especially when they play the game appropriately as Sandy has always done. Former Woolwich Mayor Todd Cowan went up in flames due to his own stupidity combined with being viewed by many local power brokers as being an outsider. He was unpopular with many and they turned on him. Our pretend mayor S. Shantz continues on until somebody with big money decides to bring her down. She is vulnerable.

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

SEBASTIAN SPEAKS TO TAG THIS THURSDAY AT 6:30 PM. MEETING

I have just reread Sebastian's four page memo/report dated August 26/21 which he will formally present to his TAG colleagues in two days. Overall it is absolutely excellent although in my opinion there are a couple of errors which undoubtedly GHD and Lanxess lovers will leap upon and attempt to deflect his main message. Possibly the TAG chair and members who are already pro Lanxess/status quo will give them undue weight whereas I am hoping that the majority of open minded and honest TAG members will listen carefully and make a decision appropriate to the weight of evidence. ................................................................................................................. Sebastian states the obvious which unfortunately has escaped (intentionally) the attention of the guilty parties. What is obvious is that "...getting to GP-1 and 2 required going through a swampy area, a diversion which would take a lot of that effluent and divert it to the south-east onto the neighbouring Stroh property.". This refers to the agreed facts by all that some of the overflowing east side pits gravity flowed southwards into the areas known as GP-1 and 2. High soil concentrations of both DDT and metabolytes as well as dioxins/furans have been found there. Sebastian, on page two of his report, also advises that "It is acknowledged on page 9 (2020 Canagagigue Creek Investigation) that the drainage area covered by the "Drain" includes a portion of the east side of the Lanxess property.". This "portion" is the swampy area mentioned a couple of sentences ago. .................................................................................................................................... Sebastian also blasts the ridiculously pathetic Method Detection Limits which greatly exceed the provincial criteria for DDD, DDE and DDT. What this succeeds in doing is artificially producing a plethora of Non-Detects for these chemicals. Sebastian also points out that toxic contaminants "...moved with the topographic contours in a south-easterly fashion over the property line ...". Again all these topographic (ground elevation) contour lines are produced by the MOE/MECP, CRA, Region of Waterloo etc. and are agreed upon. Water including contaminated water flows downhill and the evidence that it flowed onto the Stroh property to the immediate east of the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB) is incontrovertible. .......................................................................................................... Sebastian also mentions that that while Uniroyal/Lanxess are most responsible for the contamination, there are other sources including multiple landfills used by all local industry including Uniroyal and Varnicolor Chemical. Finally at the end of page 4 Sebastian suggests that contaminants continue to leave the Lanxess property and testing in 2020 actually had some higher results than in the 2017 Canagagigue Creek report. He therefore believes that serious and honest soil testing is required on the Stroh property in and around the SDDB in order to clarify all the pathways discharging into the Canagagigue Creek.

Monday, August 23, 2021

MORE DETAILS ON JULY 2021 PROGRESS REPORT

I posted here last Thursday regarding the pathetic off-site groundwater pumping and treating that took place last month (July). The specific wells which did not meet their Target Pumping rates were W3R, W5A and W9. The on site pumping rates achieved their listed Target Pumping rates although it must be noted that at one time, Chemtura's authorized spokesperson Jeff Merriman, claimed that on-site pumping rates would be at 6 litres per second. That has NOT occurred and in fact the current Target rate is only 4.7 litres per second. ............................................................................................................. Of interest to me are the very high concentrations of contaminants being found in relatively new pumping well W8 located just off Union St. beside the former Yara (Nutrite) plant. The actual pumping rate is very small although this may reflect how thin the aquifer is at that point. Thin but higly contaminated with benzene (58.9 ppb), chlorobenzene (3050 ppb), and NDMA (54.26 ppb). .................................................................................................................. Attachment B is a number of graphs showing concentrations of contaminants in Lanxess's Storm Water Outfalls. Now these outfalls do indeed take stormwater from on-site into the creek however there is also a certain amount of groundwater penetration into these sewers hence products no longer used on site such as Lindane nevertheless end up discharging into the creek (the "Gig"). Over time some of the contaminants have decreased whereas others have not. Ammonia is decreasing in Outfall 0400 but increasing in Outfall 0800. Aniline and Lindane are decreasing in the Storm Water Sewer (SWS) wheras Conductivity is increasing in SWS, 0200 and 0400. ............................................................................................................................... Surface Water contaminants in Attachment C continue to mystify as eight of them are actually higher allegedly upstream (SS-110) versus two of them (toluene, lindane) are higher as expected, downstream. The higher (arithmetic mean) upstream contaminants are m/p cresol, o-cresol, NMOR, 2,4-D, benzene, chlorobenzene, TCE, and xylenes. Either there are additional upstream sources (likely) or the amounts of Uniroyal Chemical toxic wastes dumped in the Bolender Landfill are greater than stated (likely). It's hard to feel sorry for the various owners of this contaminated site as it slowly continues to discharge its poisons free of charge into the natural environment likely for many more decades.

Saturday, August 21, 2021

MORE ON THE TAG JUNE 24/21 MINUTES

Dustin Martin of TAG presented a report to his TAG colleagues regarding a summary of actions on the East Side Investigations since the April 8/21 TAG Meeting. That report is part of these June 24/21 Minutes and labelled Appendix A. .......................................................................................................... First of all there are far too many alleged "Technical Experts" Meetings that limit all TAG members (plus 100% of the public) from attending. If these meetings are really needed then make them full, public TAG meetings. Otherwise label them properly not as Technical Experts Meetings but as "Bought and Paid For Intellectual Prostitutes Meetings". .......................................................................................................................................... On page 8 of Dustin's report we are advised that "Lanxess re-iterated their position that the soil investigation on the east side is a closed issue." If Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura had ever laid down ultimatums/demands refusing appropriate sampling of known contaminated areas they would have been handed their asses by UPAC, CPAC, and even by former Chair Pat McLean who jealously guarded UPAC and CPAC's authority and jurisdiction. ........................................................................................................................... Dustin advises that TAG have serious concerns as to how NDMA reached several hundred metres to the east from Uniroyal/Lanxess (UPGRADIENT) where it was found in a deep aquifer on the Stroh driveway into their property. Dustin also inaccurately suggests that the absence of any of the following three risk items means that there is no potential risk. The three items are sources, pathways and receptors. What Dustin should have emphasized is that especially pathways and receptors can be intermittent. In other words today there may be no risk but tomorrow after for example flooding a pathway to move toxins towards receptors can occur and similarly today there may be no receptors present but tomorrow there very well could be. Receptors (human and animal) move about and exposure can be intermittent. .............................................................................................................................. The significance of the results of tiny/minimal sediment sampling in two locations is repeatedly emphasized in regards to needed (soil) sampling in and around the Stroh Drain. Page 10 of Dustin's report indicates that a meeting between himself, TAG Chair Tiffany Svensson and Dr. Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach resulted in agreement "...that the results from sediment sampling in the Stroh drain would be important in continuing to evaluate this concern" (i.e. remaining soil contamination). Finally the very last sentence in Dustin's report states "Closely review the sediment sampling results from the Stroh drain when they are available". ........................................................................................................................................ We now have those results and three out of four dioxin/furan results exceed the federal criteria with the fourth being just slightly lower. Sebastian has quoted these numbers in his four page report to TAG (including DDD detection) which he will present this coming Thursday at 6:30 pm via Zoom. I will be in virtual attendance. Watch closely readers as to whom attempts to minimize these results versus those appropriately asking for a real soil investigation to the immediate east of the north end of the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB). Remember the Marshall doctrine: "You will never find that which you refuse to look for."

Friday, August 20, 2021

TWO MONTHS LATER AND THE JUNE 2021 TAG MINUTES ARE RELEASED

No it does not take two months to write the Minutes of a two hour meeting. Afterall I generally write the Minutes from the TAG meetings the very next morning and publish them here. One the meeting is fresh in my mind plus I've always taken notes (for decades) at these meetings. Unfortunately this time frame is nothing new and TAG, CPAC, UPAC members and the public have been the losers as they struggle to reconcile two month old Minutes with their recollections of the meeting. Much can be lost. ....................................................................................................................................... Page 3 of the Minutes indicates the significance of the then impending sediment results taken in the Stroh Drain. All of two locations only were taken which was pathetic considering the size and length of the Stroh Drain from the everflowing pipe at the north end to the discharge point into the Canagagigue Creek just downstream and on the opposite side (east) from the discharge point of Landfill Creek. This issue will also be discussed at Agenda Item 4.2.1 by Dr. Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach. Dioxin/furan TEQ (Toxic Equivalent Quotient) results greatly exceeded the federal sediment guidelines as well as exceeding most of the other TEQ sediment results. ......................................................................................................................... Pages 3 and 4 discuss "intergenerational bioaccumulation" and the text indicates that the Human Health Risk Assessment (HHRA) is unable to extend "that (protection) to more than one successive generation of (unborn) offspring.". I do not understand the acceptance by a single TAG member attending these private "Technical Experts meetings" of this position. ............................................................................................................................................... Page 5 discusses the alleged loophole whereby toxin results on private property somehow are immune from public release or exposure. Please stop the bullsh.t Ministry of Environment on this matter. Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura/Lanxess are all private companies and their soil and groundwater toxic concentrations have been a matter of public record for at least the past 32 years likely far longer. What is going on here is the seven to fourty year coverup of the release of Uniroyal Chemical liquid wastes to the Stroh farm and property at least between 1943 and 1970 which resulted in admitted adverse effects along the Uniroyal/Stroh property line and denied adverse effects further south in and around the Stroh Drain. Combined with this fantasy is all the guilty parties (CRA, GHD, Uniroyal-Lanxess, MOE/MECP and Woolwich Township) pretending that magically these liquid toxins via gravity and groundwater flow into the Drain didn't help pollute the Canagagigue Creek sediments, creekbank soils and floodplain soils as the Stroh Drain empties into the Canagagigue. ............................................................................................................................................ The Stroh property coverup is so blatant that just recently I've learned that allegedly deeper soil samples were taken on the Stroh property along the boundary with Lanxess yet the MOE/MECP and Lanxess have refused to release them to the public. Unbelieveable, ongoing corruption at its' best.

Thursday, August 19, 2021

OFF-SITE PUMPING (i.e. ELMIRA) JUST GETS WORSE AND WORSE

Back on July 19/21 I posted here about the absolutely pathetic groundwater pumping and treating underway off the Lanxess property. Major pumping wells were either totally or mostly shut down which has been going on for the last few years at the same time as the company (Lanxess) have admitted that they won't be able to achieve their longterm promises (since 1998 at least) of restoring the Elmira Aquifers to drinking water standards by 2028. It seems that Uniroyal, Crompton, Chemtura, Conestoga Rovers and the Ontario Ministry of Environment (MECP) were full of hot air. Now the latest owner of the toxic waste site, Lanxess Canada, think that they deserve a break of some kind. A break that they don't deserve as their off-site pumping isn't even up to the proven inadequate pumping standards back in 2012 when all the guilty parties promised first to TRIPLE the pumping rates and then later to DOUBLE them. The lying filth can't even maintain them where they were. .......................................................................................................................... Approximately 50 litres per second is the total pumping of all off-site pumping wells in July 2021. Back in 2012 when Conestoga Rovers and Chemtura announced their breakthrough decision to TRIPLE the pumping rate they were averaging about 53 litres per second. Is it any wonder that I and other honest, informed citizens hold all the guilty parties in such contempt? Guilty parties include Woolwich Township who broke their own rules and procedures to remove volunteer citizens from CPAC in 2015. Chemtura and the MOE/MECP were crying for their Mommies because the volunteer citizens (many were senior citizens) were being too hard on them. Poor lying babies. Shame on Sandy Shantz and Woolwich Council.

Wednesday, August 18, 2021

HUMAN INFALLIBILITY OF ANY KIND IS RIDICULOUS

O.K. if your religious beliefs include that of papal infallibility, then maybe I won't argue with you on that one. Just about every other suggestion that a human being is infallible based upon their exalted status is however just so much hooey. Thankfully we all know that our politicians are fallible. Be it Donald Trump, Doug Ford, Katherine Wynne, Justin Trudeau or whomever nobody seriously suggests out loud that they are infallible. Hmm wait a minute. Didn't Donald Trump once suggest that he could commit murder in Times Square in front of hundreds of witnesses and still be acquitted? So let me amend my statement: nobody over the age of ten, with an IQ higher than 65, would suggest that even Donald Trump was infallible. ............................................................................................... Sports heroes perhaps? No enough of them have made publicly awful statements over the decades to exclude them from the state of infallibility. How about Hollywood actors or actresses? Well a lot of them have become involved with Scientology which doesn't bode well for claims of infallibility. ......................................................................................................................... Judges? Well fortunately the well off, via means of appeals, have overturned literally thousands of stupid decisions also over the decades. Some of the stupid decisions were misinterpretations of the law. Some were simple slips of the tongue by the judge for example in instructing the jury. Some were bias plain and simple and convictions of Black people based primarly on skin colour and outdtaed belief systems have been common. Similarly acquittals of male assailants with female victims have also been far too prevalent based on sterotypes of "proper" behaviour or dress. The examples go on and on. .................................................................................................... My advice is to be careful in judging someone based upon an adverse judicial decision, especially a single one over a lifetime. Yes people make mistakes but so do judges, prosecutors, police and our entire judicial system. Locally just look at Robert Reilly's behaviour and some of his decisions.

Tuesday, August 17, 2021

LOCAL MEDIA COVERAGE OF LANXESS, CREEK, GROUNDWATER HAS BEEN PATHETIC

This is very odd when one realizes that in fact the Waterloo Region Record have stepped up their overall environmental coverage substantially. Reporter Leah Gerber has been on top of environemnetal issues including Lanxess/Elmira, multiple local, proposed gravel pits, climate change, blue-green algae, GRCA issues etc. No what I'm referring to is the LOCAL newspaper coverage as in the Elmira based newspaper which I generally believe does a very good job in covering Woolwich and Wellesley newsworthy events. This includes environmental news generally such as gravel pit expansions in Wilmot, Wellesley and most certainly Woolwich, particularly the proposed Maryhill Pit. There was and continues to be articles regarding the Jigs Hollow Pit below water table expansion and others. .............................................................................................................................. I'll be honest here, both Joe and Pat Merlihan can sometimes be a pain in the butt (obstinate?) but they have overall kept local citizens and residents well informed on council issues in Woolwich and Wellesley as well as on most local issues. With the passing on of the Elmira Independent in August 2015, the Observer who were already doing a good job have stepped up and filled any news coverage gap very well. With the one exception. .................................................................................................................................... Uniroyal Chemical/ Crompton/ Chemtura and most recently Lanxess Canada. My question is why? Why do they get a free pass? Are there important subscribers, local politicians, influencers, advertisers, investors who have made their position abundantly clear? As is the norm everywhere are the few dictating to the many here in Woolwich as to what you can read in your local paper?

Monday, August 16, 2021

MORE EVIDENCE THAT CANADIAN DEMOCRACY IS WEAK

Laws are a joke particularly when they are selectively enforced, if at all. Today's Waterloo Region Record advises us that a Kitchener resident has spent fourteen years fighting for compensation in her husband's death from mesothelioma or asbestos caused lung cancer. Her husband worked for B.F. Goodrich rubber plant in Kitchener for 38 years. So after fourteen years of sending in medical reports and jumping through hoops and loops the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) have just graciously advised her that her claim had been accepted. Wow those filthy shi.s. Between 2002 and 2017 only fifteen percent of occupational disease claims filed by rubber workers were approved by the Board. In 2018 after massive public exposure in the Waterloo Region Record (and other newspapers) the Board were ordered by the Ontario government to form a review team to re-examine more than 300 claims filed by rubber workers in Waterloo Region. It seems that our provincial government didn't appreciate too many citizens and voters learning that the Workman's Compensation system was more about talk and appearances and less about either protecting or assisting workers after they'd been injured. ..................................................................................................................... What a filthy system we have in Ontario. Court costs, court delays and lawyers fees have made access to the legal system intentionally onerous if not impossible for many citizens even those with full time jobs. This is not unintentional. After all the system only works for the few if the masses are generally excluded from it. It was partially based on this that the government of the day passed legislation that even us older citizens can't remember because it was so long ago. Our own government sold the Workman's Compensation System and the WSIB on the basis of look we'll eliminate the dubious right of workers to sue for health damages and replace it with a nuetral, independent of employers, government run system to compensate injured workers who can no longer work. They planned to finance this system with premiums paid by employers based upon their proven injury and disease statistics. Well first off the WSIB has never been nuetral. Secondly they and the provincial government are constantly lobbied by industry and business to keep costs such as licenses, taxes, premiums down. In no time at all this workman's compensation system turned into a cost reduction exercise by the government and the WSIB and the only way to do that was by pretending to rely on science and doctors to minimize acceptance of claims for any of dozens of reasons/excuses. ................................................................................................................. The title of the article in today's Record is "Kitchener rubber worker's WSIB claim accepted" written by Chris Seto. By the way the Record and reporter Greg Mercer won a Michener-Deacon Fellowship for their investigative reporting on this matter.

Saturday, August 14, 2021

MORE NEWS ON ONTARIO LAND TRIBUNAL'S (OLT) ASSUMING JURISDICTION OVER PROPOSED MARYHILL GRAVEL PIT

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries the following story by Leah Gerber titled "Maryhill gravel pit decision stripped from township council". This article follows one in the Woolwich Observer from nine days ago. It turns out that one of the lead volunteers with the Hopewell Creek Ratepayers Assoc. is a former vice-Chair of the Ontario Municipal Board namely Susan Campbell. This combined with the political knowledge of fellow member Bonnie Bryant can only be helpful for the ratepayers group. ......................................................................................................................... It turns out that provincial legislation demands 90 day and 120 day decisions from municipal councils on zoning amendments and Official Plan Amendments respectively. These deadlines are long past yet the resources manager for Capitol Paving was very kind in his words regarding Woolwich Council to the Record. I am suspicious. Susan Campbell suggested strongly that her understanding was that Woolwich Council were going to make a decision at the last Council meeting of August 10/21 but were preempted with Capitol Paving going to the OLT. Bonnie Bryant also appears to be thinking that Woolwich Council were prepared to deny Capitol Paving's applications for amendments. .................................................................................................................. While I agree that would be appropriate I have to wonder about the typical Woolwich back room dealing. Is it possible that someone on Woolwich Council (mayor?) whispered in Capitol Paving's ear to please, please go to the OLT as is your right, in order to save Woolwich Council from having to make a politically difficult decision? Afterall if Council said yes they would greatly anger the Maryhill folks and their supporters and if they said no they knew they would end up spending Woolwich taxpayers money, possibly fruitlessly, defending their decision at the OLT. Politicians do not care for lose-lose scenarios. This way the OLT can be the bad guys and Council can pretend they are for the little guy and that they would have stood up to both Capitol Paving and the pro-gravel province.

Friday, August 13, 2021

LANXESS/GHD BULLSHI* WEARING THIN

Oh my, oh my but Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach is the wrong person to give the mushroom treatment to. You know, the keep them in the dark and cover them with **** . He has given his TAG colleagues as well as the TAG Chair way more time (rope?) than necessary for them to step up and show their true colours (character, backbone ?). On July 20 here in the Elmira Advocate I posted that it was time for the TAG membership to step up. Personally I've lost confidence in the TAG Chair. .................................................................................................................. Sebastian sent a four page Memorandum/report to his TAG colleagues a few days ago. It is dated however August 26, 2021 as that is the date of the next public? (virtual) TAG meeting. In his report Sebastian pulls no punches as he spells out the ridiculousness of Lanxess's position regarding the Stroh Drain pathway contributing dioxins, DDT and more to the downstream Canagagigue Creek. Sebastian also uses Ramin Ansari's own rabbit hunting metaphor against him. In fact Sebastian makes it clear that a full hunting expedition i.e. soil testing and investigation is in order. Sebastian also spells out that the Lanxess/GHD preferred fully on-site pathway is ridiculous and self-serving as the overflowing toxic waste waters from the Uniroyal Chemical east side pits had to pass through the formerly swampy area on their site where they then gravity flowed off-site onto the Stroh farm. Previously it has been admitted by all that these liquid wastes flowed off-site at the further north end of the Stroh property. This swampy area became the former swampy area by public admission of both common sense and Jeff Merriman, the long time environmental engineer and spokesperson for Uniroyal/Crompton/Chemtura. The Stroh Drain was built in 1983 specicially to drain the swamp on both the Stroh and Uniroyal Chemical property which it has done. ............................................................................................................. Sebastian rightly believes that there is more than enough evidence produced to date to convince honest, intelligent and unbiased persons of the likelihood of a sink of dioxins/furans, DDT, PAHs and more on the Stroh farm to the immediate east of the north end of the Stroh Drain which starts a few metres to the east of Uniroyal/Lanxess's south-east corner. Hence a full and proper investigation is required. He is correct but let me add that biased, self-serving individuals always hiding behind the Ontario Ministry of Environment do not care. They are and always have been in full control of the cleanup and the results show both in the creek and in the still undrinkable Elmira Aquifers. .................................................................................................................................. This is TAG's opportunity to step up. While almost all citizens have played "nice", the other parties have not. Other evidence may become available but should not be needed if TAG members remember that their loyalties are supposed to be to the public and the environment, not to Woolwich Township, the Ministry of Environment or Lanxess.

Thursday, August 12, 2021

CLIMATE CHANGE & "THE WORLD NEEDS FEWER WEASEL WORDS"

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries an Opinion piece by well known historian Gwynne Dyer titled "The world needs fewer weasel words". He is responding to a recent report by scientists on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Mr Dyer believes that one of the biggest obstacles to public acceptance of the seriousness of the situation is the cautious language the scientists always used. This latest report according to Mr. Dyer has franker language and fewer weasel words. The prior cautious language he attributes to a number of factors including pressure put on scientists from the "merchants of doubt". He further elaborates while quoting a PhD. by the name of Luke Kemp: "The reason we are not acting is not because of technology or a lack of public will; it's because of the political economy. It's because of the fossil fuel lobby. It's because of politicians being under the control of industry." Mr. Kemp further states "We need to have civil disobedience, protest and dissent. That's how the best changes of the world have happened previously." .............................................................................................................................................. Gwynne Dyer agrees with Mr. Kemp's analysis. So do I. Our politicians do not "lead". They follow. Cracking down on smoking and the proliferation of prescription opiate pain killers are two examples. As long as the majority of citizens smoked, our politicians had a hands off policy. As public enlightenment grew, then and only then did our politicians suddenly step up and condemn the public health crisis caused by smoking. Maybe the sugar industry is next. Climate change is a front and centre world wide crisis. New coal fired plants to produce electricity are still happening. Yes coal as a source of heat and energy is waning but why in the midst of freak weather, storms, floods, droughts and heat emergencies around the world is it still being used at all? Because our politicians are serving two masters. Those with the money and power and the vast majority without.

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

DIOXIN (TEQ) CONCENTRATIONS IN CREEK & FLOODPLAIN SOILS IN & AROUND THE LANXESS (Uniroyal) SITE & DOWNSTREAM (Canagagigue Ck.)

Again two reports namely the recently received 2020 Canagagigue report and the earlier 2017 report. Firstly the 2020 report: There were 50 soil samples taken of which a grand total of five exceeded my arbitrarily picked concentration of 50 parts per trillion (ppt). Larch's Creek, Bolender Park Creek, Shirt Factory Creek and landfill Creek had a total of five detections above the provincial criteria out of 26 samples for soils of 7 ppt. but none above my arbitrarily picked concentration of 50 ppt. ................................................................................................................... Downstream in the Canagagigue Creek Reach 2 (closer to the Grand River) had 6 of 16 soil samples exceed the provincial criteria (7 ppt) but only 1 above 50 ppt. Reach 3 (towards Lanxess) had 2 out of 2 soil samples both of which exceeded the provincial criteria (7) and my criteria (50 ppt). Reach 4 which includes the Lanxess site had 4 of 6 soil samples exceed the provincial criteria (7) but only 2 exceed my criteria (50). The purpose of my arbitrarily determined criteria of 50 ppt is as follows: At some point in time we will have soil results from in and around the Stroh Drain. I don't know what they will be but undoubtedly Lanxess/GHD/MECP will all howl and whine that the results are not significant despite the 7 ppt. TEQ provincial criteria for soils within 10 metres of a waterway and 13 ppt. if further away. Therefore 50 ppt. is 7 times greater than the lower criteria and pretty much 4 times greater than the higher one. It is a significant concentration by honest people's standards. Also this self-determined criteria (50 ppt) exceeds 90% of all the soil results in the 2020 report. ......................................................................................................... The 2017 Canagagigue report consists of 265 soil samples (creek & floodplain soils). A total of only 13 soil results exceeded my 50 ppt. criteria. Hence my criteria for significant dioxin presence in and around the Stroh Drain actually exceeds 95% of all the soil samples taken and tested by Lanxess/GHD in 2017. That is a very significant concentration if found in and around Stroh Drain soils. Not unexpectedly with the very high number of samples taken on the Lanxess (75) property, New Jerusalem Rd. (48) and at Station #21 (36) also near New Jerusalem Rd.; these three areas had the highest concentrations of dioxins in soil albeit only 6 exceeded 50 ppt at Lanxess, 3 exceedances at New Jerusalem Rd. and 4 exceedances at Station #21. All other sampling locations had zero exceedances of my 50 ppt. criteria. Hence again this data supports my, at the moment, hypothetical and arbitrary criteria of 50 ppt. being a very reasonable criteria for further soil testing and eventual remediation.

Tuesday, August 10, 2021

LOOKING AT TEQ (Dioxins) CONCENTRATIONS IN BOTH SEDIMENTS & SOILS IN AND AROUND UNIROYAL/LANXESS THE "GIG" AND OTHER CREEKS

Today I'm comparing results from both the 2017 Canagagigue (the "Gig") Investigation as well as the recently released (5 weeks ago) 2020 Canagagigue Creek Investigation. Please note that I am currently focused on Dioxin (i.e. TEQ) results. This is because it is harder for Lanxess/GHD and other professional intellectual prostitutes to pretend that 2,3,7,8 TCDD (tetrachlorodibenzodioxin) came from sources other than themselves and because the DDT and metabolyte (DDD, DDE) results have been so badly buggerred by incredibly high Method Detection Limits which effectively hide positive detections of these toxic chemicals. ............................................................................................................................. The recent 2020 report had a total of seven locations up and down the Canagagigue Creek starting from Larch's Creek, a third of a mile upriver, to Reach 2 in the Canagagigue Creek wuich is almost but not quite all the way downstream to the Grand River nearly five miles away. A total of 51 sediment samples were taken with only four exceeding the Stroh Drain sediment result of 24.4 parts per trillion (ppt. or pg/g). Therefore the Stroh Drain TEQ sediment result equals or exceeds 90% of all the sediment samples taken in this report with only four locations on the Uniroyal/Lanxess site exceeding it. That speaks loudly to the Stroh Drain being significantly contaminated with dioxins. ................................................................................................................................................. The 2017 report was much more extensive with a total of five locations with however a total of 327 sediment samples taken and analysed for dioxins (TEQ). Of those 327 a grand total of 19 of them exceeded the 2020 Stroh Drain sediment concentration of dioxins namely 24.4 ppt. Therefore the concentration of dioxins in sediment at the Stroh Drain in 2020 exceeded 94% of all the dioxin concentrations found in this report. Again this speaks very loudly as to the significance of the dioxin findings found in the Stroh Drain recently. This in fact negates the heavy duty horse manure that has been peddled by (Uniroyal), Chemtura, Lanxess and GHD since the public (CPAC) discovered the Stroh Drain in May 2014. They (and the MOE/MECP) have been in loud denial that the overflowing east side toxic waste pits crossed over further south onto the Stroh property. They do admit encroachment onto the Stroh property further north directly beside their waste pits but have bluntly, blatantly and incomprehensibly denied encroachment further south which has allowed liquid toxic wastes to enter the Stroh Drain and from there flow into the Canagagigue Creek downstream. .......................................................................................................................... Tomorrow I may give a report here regarding dioxin concentrations in Soil from both the 2017 and 2020 reports. The purpose is to give readers an overview as to the majority of dioxin concentrations found in either creekbank or floodplain soils. This will also give readers a point of comparison with any future, potential soil readings that are ever taken in and around the Stroh Drain which I usually refer to as the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (i.e. SDDB).

Monday, August 9, 2021

SCAMMING DATA: GHD ARE NO SLOUCHES

TEQ SEDIMENT COMPARISONS ..................................................................................................................... I have already mentioned that the dioxin (TEQ) concentrations found in the Stroh Drain sediments in GHD's 2020 Canagagigue Creek Sediment and Soil Investigation are quite remarkable. This is because I compared them with seven other locations that were also sampled in this latest report for dioxin concentrations in creek sediments and the 24.4 parts per trillion found in the southern end of the Stroh Drain exceeded six of those seven other locations. The only sediment location that exceeded it was at one of the locations sampled on the Lanxess property which of course is the source of the dioxins. ................................................................................................................................ I have also now compared the Stroh Drain sediment concentrations with the earlier report "2017 Canagagigue Creek Sediment and Floodplain Soil Investigation" also done badly by GHD for a number of previously posted reasons including shovel versus core sampling, ridiculously high Method Detection Limits etc. Now again the 24.4 ppt. TEQ in the Stroh Drain exceeds the vast majority of TEQ sediment concentrations found both on site (Uniroyal/Lanxess) as well as downriver. However there are four results, one on site and three downriver albeit very close to Lanxess, which dwarf the first, only, and likely last result from in or around the Stroh Drain, if Lanxess/MECP have their way. ........................................................................................................................................ The one downriver result is at what is known as Station #20 located downstream of lanxess but upstream of the first road crossing namely the New Jerusalem Rd. It is followed by Station #21 which just like Station #20 is also part of Reach 3 (of the creek) but slightly further downstream. To add further confusion some of these samples are referred to as being located at the New Jerusalem Rd. even though they are on both sides of the road (i.e. upstream & downstream side of the road) hence three different designations for their location can be used (STn. #21, Reach 3, New Jerusalem Rd.). I do not belive that this unecessary confusion by the authors is unintentional but hey judging intent versus incompetence can be a tricky business. ......................................................................................................................... Speaking of tricky as well as "scamming" in the title above, it is child's play to sway the impression of the extent of contamination simply by manipulating the number of samples taken or not taken. For the last seven years Lanxess/GHD have sucessfully pretended that the Stroh Drain is uncontaminated simply by refusing to sample in and around it at all. Historically they have been able to focus attention on a couple of hot spots near their site (Stn #20 & 21, New Jerusalem Rd. etc.) again by simply constantly and regularly sampling those areas. Yes they are heavily contaminated. That said if you sample known contaminated areas with ten times as many discrete samples as anywhere else downstream then guess what? You now have the data you want which points to high concentrations where it's more convenient for you to access the creek. No nasty begging or inducing landowners for access when lo and behold you've been sampling for years and decades along the creek where you have easy access such as New Jerusalem Rd. And your own data now easily persuades part time volunteers to go along with remediating exactly where it's easier/cheaper for you. ..................................................................................................................................... It's a long game and the game winners, as usual, are the game players. The rest of us citizens and members of the public don't even know it's a game untill it's almost over.

Saturday, August 7, 2021

TAG DISCUSSION OF STROH FARM CONTAMINATION IS COMING

This will be of course against the wishes of Lanxess Canada, GHD their consultants, the Ministry of Environment (MECP), possibly/probably Woolwich Council. Delay on the matter has been ongoing of course since the fall of 2014 when CPAC brought the issue to the forefront after I "discovered" the Stroh Drain in May 2014. That evening Viv Delaney and Dr. Dan Holt and I all toured the SDDB (Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm) from the pipe coming out of the ground at its' extreme north end down to its' discharge into the Canagagigue Creek from the Martin property. There have been some extraordinarily limited, last minute "discussions" at the end of formal TAG meetings with myself and Sebastian Seibel-Achenbach. Some TAG members may have hung around, others did not. ........................................................................................................................... DDD, a metabolyte of DDT, was found in sediments in the Stroh Drain at approximately ten times the criteria for them. Dioxins (TEQ) were found in the deeper sediments in the SDDB at approximately 30 times the federal criteria. Keep in mind that two samples were taken at all of two locations along the Drain (SDDB). Furthermore the two samples were taken at both 0-10 cm. depth and 10-30 cm. depth. Hence this was an extraordinarily limited sampling, one could almost say tokenism in order for Lanxess to pretend to have done a good job in examining the pathway from the former Uniroyal site (now Lanxess) over to the Stroh and Martin properties and then into the Canagagigue Creek. ................................................................................................................................... What needs to be done is a comparison of contaminant concentrations in the sediments of the SDDB with contaminant concentrations in sediment in other locations around the Uniroyal/Lanxess site. These locations include the Bolender Park Landfill Creek, Larch's Creek, Shirt Factory Creek, Landfill Creek, Reach 4, 3 and 2 in the Canagagigue Creek which runs from the Lanxess site down to the Grand River just south of West Montrose. This I have done and the contaminant concentrations in the Stroh Drain (SDDB), with the exception of Reach 4 which is part of the Uniroyal/Lanxess site, are generally higher than in all the other locations. ............................................................................................................................. Now I would very much like to be able to compare soil concentrations in and around the Stroh Drain (especially to the immediate east of it) with soil concentrations at the other locations around the Lanxess property as already listed. Oops I forgot. Lanxess/MECP/GHD refused to take any soil samples from the area near the Stroh Drain. These other locations all had both soil and sediment samples taken and hence an examination will help us determine if they might still be adding to the contamination in the Canagagigue. Of course the guilty parties have and continue to refuse any and all suggestions to do serious soil sampling in and around the Stroh Drain. Afterall you will never find that which you refuse to test for.

Friday, August 6, 2021

POLITICAL FAILURES DURING COVID LESS DISASTEROUS THAN SUGGESTED?

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries an opinion piece by Dr. Jillian Horton of Winnipeg titled "The moral authority of our institutions is broken". The sub-title is "I thought our leaders would protect us from COVID: I was wrong". While Dr. Horton certainly has some legitimate evidence and facts to back her position I would suggest that she is looking at the glass half empty while I'm taking the position that the glass is half full. I know: me complimenting either Canadian or other politicians; that is bizarre. Well here it is. .................................................................................................................................. First of all no matter how well I might think some politicians have done regarding vaccinating Canadians and giving appropriate advice and direction; nothing can obliterate decades if not centuries of bad governance right here in Canada from municipal to provincial and federal politics. Whether we are talking residential school programs, environmental disasters (Walkerton, Elmira, Cambridge, Grassy Narrows), failures in worker health and safety (mining, rubber industries in Kitchener, G.E in Peterborough) or a hundred other gross failures, yes I would agree that the moral authority of our institutions is broken and has been for a very long time. I would also suggest that Dr. Horton's metaphor of a broken drink machine is really very good. ................................................................................................. The question for me is where are our governments when an issue is either of world wide significance or close to it. What comes to mind at the moment is Covid-19, the Second World War and Climate Change. Obviously there were failures after the First World War that resulted in a yet a second one. Hence governments, politicians and human beings in general aren't very bright. Climate Change is an entirely manmade catastrophe and as long as the end is even a decade or so down the road procrastination will continue. Covid on the other hand has mobilized governments and politicians at all levels. Yes there are American political idiots in power in various states just as we in Canada have Jason Kenny (Alberta) and others. But overall vaccines were developed rapidly and have so far in the developed countries been distributed widely. Yes Dr. Horton is correct in that citizens have generally followed the directions given and despite that are still threatened by Covid. That said please look at the statistics. Right now Covid is a disease of the unvaccinated; in other words of those who have not followed pretty clear directions. Yes the variants could catch up to even the vaccinated eventually if precautions are not still taken. ............................................................................................................................... Our institutions have a lot to answer for yes but the individuals in them are not all dumb. The smarter ones know that at crunch time those institutions had better step up because governments can hide a lot of sins happening to the few but not so much when it is world wide problems.

Thursday, August 5, 2021

MARYHILL (i.e. Capitol Paving) GRAVEL PIT GOING TO LPAT/OLT

The age of acronyms never ends. First it was the OMB or Ontario Municipal Board. Then it morphed into the LPAT or Local Planning Area Tribunal and now it seems to be being referred to as the OLT or Ontario Land Tribunal. Regardless of the name it is a pro-development, pro-business, anti-citizens rights, provincially appointed group whose job is to give the general public the appearance of fairness and consideration while backing the government's (Liberal or Conservative) strongly pro-monied, pro-business, pro-development bias in order to stay in the good graces of their various financial donors. By the way this most certainly includes the aggregate industry. Yes Dorothy this is a conflict of interest albeit all done smoothly in the Canadian way. No need generally for police or violence when the system has been so long perverted from the top down. ......................................................................................................................... Today's Woolwich Observer carries the following story written by Steve Kannon titled "Decision on Maryhill gravel pit to be made at provincial tribunal". First of all I'm seeing some incredible politics and more unfolding here. Woolwich staff clearly have recommended that Council approve the zoning change and Application by Capitol Paving. I felt early on that that was going to be Council's out in favour of approval. But something funny has happened here. The citizen protest, outrage and opposition has as expected been very strong but less expected has been Woolwich Council's hesitancy. Are Council actually listening to the Maryhill and area citizens, business owners and local residents? .............................................................................................................................. In the alternative there are two other issues going on. The first is that next year (2022) is a municipal election year. Wow nothing like a mandated election to focus one's political eye and other senses. The second may be that the leader of the local opposition is one Bonnie Bryant who has municipal council experience in her own right. In fact as the then Mayor at the time (Todd Cowan), despite being the incumbent, was stumbling towards coming in fourth in the mayoralty race, Bonnie Bryant actually ran against him. They both lost to, at the time, almost squeeky clean Sandy Shantz. Is there any possibility that Bonnie might be seriously considering getting back into local politics? I would suggest that many would hope so including myself. I wonder if current pretend mayor, Sandy might be looking over her shoulder at the moment. Hmm it's sad if that is how decisions are made versus on their merits but hey that's politics.

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

I'M NOT BUYING WHAT THE WATERLOO REGION POLICE ARE SELLING

So we are to believe that a particular WRPS officer is a malicious bully but that he is not racist into the bargain. Sure I'm just peachy with that although the behaviour that he has been found guilty of namely excessive force and wrongful arrest should be a firing offence many times over. Oh but wait these weren't criminal charges. They were charges at a misconduct hearing held under the Police Services Act. What a lucky break for Officer Foster. So if I were to decide to physically attack one of my neighbours, knock them to the ground, restrain them and keep them restrained for close to an hour I sure hope that I could avoid criminal charges. Like police officers can. Oh my gosh "...he could be demoted for his actions.". Demoted not sentenced to jail as you or I would be for doing even less harm. ....................................................................................................................... The victim was a Black 44 year old woman and mother whose offence was driving her son to his job very early in the morning. She dropped him off at work and returned to her home where after parking her car in her driveway and while attempting to enter her home she was accosted by the police officer. He started barking orders including demands for identification while she stood on her front porch in her pajamas and while he had computer access in his cruiser to confirm that the car was registered to that address. She also had no connection whatsoever to a male suspect that police were investigating. She had not committed any crimes or offences but did resist unlawful and unreasonable demands from the officer. He then attacked her and restrained her. ................................................................................................................ The officer then after she was released issued her four traffic tickets for refusing to show identification and permits. Prosecuters wisely later withdrew those tickets. The hearing adjudicator stated that "There is an air of maliciousness with respect to the tickets". Duh do you think? As has often happened in blatant police misconduct towards citizens, the Waterloo Regional Police Service were sucessfully sued over the unlawful arrest and detention and the taxpayers again picked up the tab. Par for the course. As to whether the police officer is biased as in would he have attacked a white woman in the same circumstances, I think that his overall nasty, white police entitled behaviour says that is unlikely. He may be a very bad police officer but that doesn't mean that like all bullies he doesn't carefully pick and choose his victims. This time he picked the wrong one. ............................................................................................................................................ Today's Waterloo Region Record carries this story titled "White police officer cleared of racial bias".

Tuesday, August 3, 2021

DOG DAYS OF SUMMER

Today's Waterloo Region Record carries an article by Leah Gerber regarding tornadoes and their frequency in southern Ontario. It's a very interesting article describing local experts and storm chasers with direct severe weather experience. Of interest to me is the home turf of one of those storm chasers, namely Glen Allan, Ontario. That village is very close to Conestoga Lake and in fact my wife and I were married in the Glen Allen Mennonite Church 38 years ago. Of course there is concern, speculation and research trying to answer the question as to whether or not climate change/global warming have already affected the numbers and severity of local weather events. ................................................................................................................. Here is a little news/event update. The next TAG (Technical Advisory Group) is set for August 26/21 at 6:30 pm. These meetings have been on Zoom for a long time now but whether it will be going back to live meetings by the end of the month I really don't know. I can certainly say that they are not heavily attended when live and in fact if there were five attendees other than the members of TAG, I would consider that well attended. In my opinion this upcoming meeting will be a watershed meeting. ..................................................................................................................................... TAG, in my opinion, while having quality members, are still generally inexperienced with the local environmental history, power network, dirty politics and overall influence of the owners of the biggest polluter (Uniroyal Chemical/Lanxess) by far in Waterloo Region. This includes some dandies who have permanently affected our water supplies, Grand River, air and soils. They have made understandable mistakes in the last five plus years which quite frankly they were intended, by our authorities, to make. Recently they and their Chair especially have not been terribly receptive to experienced citizens and CPAC (Citizens Public Advisory Committee) members concerns about a "sink" of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) located on the Stroh farm on the east side of Uniroyal/Lanxess. It of course has not helped that the local power structure, Woolwich & Regional Council, have rezoned and included both the Stroh and Martin farms into proposed new commercial/light industrial development area. These proposals include the long awaited Elmira By-Pass as a sweetener to reduce public opposition. .................................................................................................. These POPs include dioxins/furans, DDT, Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons, possibly PCBs and so much more. Uniroyal/Lanxess have refused to acknowledge or even engage in proper debate with local stakeholders such as CPAC. Evidence produced by Uniroyal, Conestoga Rovers and the Ministry of Environment (MOE/MECP) pointing to this area having received substantial overflow of toxic liquid wastes is being minimized and downplayed, mostly in private to their recognized stakeholders only. TAG have however indicated that they are awaiting the results of some sediment samples taken in the Stroh Drain nearly a year ago. Those limited sample results are available and are highly indicative that indeed Uniroyal Chemical liquid wastes were deposited in this area as both DDD (DDT metabolyte) and dioxins are in excess of the federal criteria for sediments. One TAG member (Sebastian) will continue his push for proper, full and complete soil testing to the immediate east of the north end (and slightly southwards) of the Stroh Drain. This is TAG's chance to prove that they are representing the public's interests, not Woolwich Council's or their handpicked Chair and certainly not Lanxess Canada's interests. Lastly the Ontario Ministry of Environment have long been in a serious conflict of interest position in their dealings with this grossly contaminated site.