DID MOST OF THE DIOXINS & DDT IN GP-1 OCCUR FROM GRAVITY FLOW OR WAS IT FROM UNIROYAL PUMPING THEM INTO THE FORMER GRAVEL PIT?

 Now that is an interesting question albeit one among many that Lanxess and the Ministry of Environment (MECP) refuse to answer honestly. A little clarification: in 2013 (& 2014)  Chemtura excavated various areas inside the former gravel pit known as GP-1. They removed off-site several tonnes of contaminated soils which they claimed had occurred from gravity flowing liquid wastes from the uphill pits and ponds (RPE 1-5), through a very wet and swampy area into the north end of GP-1. They further claimed that these overflowing surface liquids then ran the length of GP-1 (175 metres) in a south-eastern direction and further discharged into GP-2 (gravel pit 2). Now this further discharge required an almost  180 degree turn back westwards but hey this is Uniroyal/Chemtura and they walk on water don't you know. Also conveniently this near 180 turn meant that excess surface flow through GP-1 did not then immediately flow 35 or 40 metres due south onto the Martin family farm.

Logic must of course be suspended when dealing with Uniroyal Chemical and their successors.  Repeat their false mantra even to this day. "Everything is contained, nothing other than groundwater ever flowed off-site."  Such rubbish! Regarding pumping there are old maps showing the real location of GP-1 to the north-east on the north side of the north-west to south-east high diagonal ridge of land that possibly is part of an old sand and gravel moraine if I have the proper word.  These maps have arrows showing pumping occurring from the original location of GP-1, over top of the higher ridge of land and discharging into the much lower ground elevation of what is now known as GP-1.

What would the reason for pumping possibly be? How about complaints from the normally amenable neighbour to the east namely the now deceased Mr. Earl Stroh. Why would he want even more of Uniroyal's liquid wastes flowing directly onto his property ?  All in all these behaviours and lies were all in Uniroyal Chemical's financial interests and have likely saved them hundreds of millions of dollars in cleanup costs as the lowest elevation areas on the Stroh property (345.0 masl)  eventually filled up and then overflowed further south-east until they joined the natural creek (Martin's Creek) draining the southern end of the Stroh property through the Martin property, past their in ground pond and finally into the Canagagigue Creek. This drainage was only enhanced in the summer and fall of 1983 when the Stroh Drain, Ditch & Berm (SDDB) was constructed to aid in draining this area of the Stroh property. 

All's well that ends well and if you ignore the human costs, past and present, then it's only the costs to the natural environment such as the benthic community, fish, birds and local food chain predators. Maybe there are biological effects further downstream in the Grand River but they too can be easily ignored when our local chemical company has full support from both municipal and regional councils. Remember that our environment has always come second fiddle to politics and always will. Talk is cheaper than cleanup and politicians and their friends will never run out of talk.