WOOLWICH PLANNING DEP'T FAVOURTISM ?

Apparently Woolwich Township's poor planning and governance have been with us for a very long time. This particularly includes their alleged environmental decision making. Whether it involves local polluters such as Varnicolor Chemical, Uniroyal Chemical or local landfills it seems clear that human economic activity has and still takes precedence over everything else, especially the natural environment. Polyester resins, tars and sump sludges from Uniroyal Chemical have been documented as entering the in-town municipal landfills. I'm sure that I've also read that foundry wastes were permitted into some or all of the local landfills. These can include phenolic resins which are toxic. At the same time apologists and friends of Uniroyal Chemical have also alleged that the only "industrial" wastes they put into the Bolender Landfill were filter clothes and paper wastes. Time frames vary from report to report but generally speaking the Bolender Landfill was accepting both municipal and industrial wastes from 1962 until 1968-70. The First St. Landfill also accepted municipal and industrial wastes from approximately 1966 until 1972 and after that both Municipal and INDUSTRIAL waste went to the Woolwich Landfill north of Elmira on the aptly named Seiling Drive. It was in operation from 1972 until approximately 1985-88 depending on which report is believed. ................................................................................................................... Then of course we must not forget the former municipal landfill now located on the Uniroyal/Lanxess property known as M-2. It accepted both municipal and industrial wastes from 1936 until 1962. As per testimony at the Environmental Appeal Board hearings (1990-92), Uniroyal routinely dumped and buried herbicides, pesticides, rubber additives etc. into this landfill which they now own. They also buried 45 gallon drums full of wastes including off-spec chemical products which at a later date were unearthed during the construction of the Elmira Sewage treatment Plant. They were then transferred to and reburied in the First St. Landfill. ...................................................................................................... The Ontario Water Resources Commission (OWRC) were so impressed with Elmira and Woolwich landfill decision making that they ordered both the Bolender and the First St. Landfills shut down. Who would have thought that anything could go wrong with burying both municipal and industrial wastes right beside the Canagagigue Creek? Local industrial companies likely all enjoying in town dumping priveleges would include textile companies including Borg Textiles, Link-Belt Foundry, Varnicolor Chemical, Nutrite, furniture companies including the one right beside Uniroyal on Union St., Great West Felt and on and on. ................................................................................................... After this horrific history of either dumb or arm twisted decision making where are we today? Right, Woolwich planners think that building a gravel parking lot for trucks and trailers above the Bolender Park Landfill is a dandy idea. Oddly enough once again they are ignoring provincial rules and regulations but hey currently we've got a Conservative provincial government who just like the Liberals are pro business/industry. I doubt that Doug Ford and company could care less what Woolwich does today with the Bolender Landfill. There were no penalties for environmental and health & safety mismanagement from 1962 until now so why would a few more broken rules be a problem? My reading of the "Guideline D-4 Study" indicates that there can be no development or land use on top of a landfill with either leachate controls or methane gas controls. BINGO! Just get the Township's (& Uniroyal/Lanxess's) consultants to write yet another self-serving report advising that no controls are necessary. At the same time it will be necessary to ignore once again the most recent gas probe results showing methane gas at potentially dangerous levels (> 20% LEL), methane gas at greater than the LEL (Lower Explosive Level) and finally methane gas levels at above the UEL (Upper Explosive Level). Fortunately this is Woolwich Township where many bureaucrats and politicians are Master Level contortionists.