INCREASED CANCER RISKS FROM FIRES IN MODERN BUILDINGS
Yesterday's K-W Record carries the story "Firefighters face higher cancer risk". Paul Atkinson of the Ontario Professional Firefighters Association said in regards to protective equipment " It keeps you from burning, but doesn't stop the toxic vapours from coming in contact with the skin or being absorbed or swallowed". He also said "And while there are fewer fires, they are more toxic because of the increased prevalence of plastics and chemicals in construction..". The number of cancers including brain tumours are dramatically rising in long term firefighters. Similar to other environmental exposures atkinson said "...it is not one fire that causes job related cancer, but an accumulation of years of exposure to toxic chemicals". This is the same scenario for example in the Bishop St. community in Cambridge in regards to TCE (Trichloroethylene) and also is of concern regarding numerous fires and dense smoke released by Chemtura (Uniroyal) in Elmira which exposes both firefighters and citizens.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Monday, November 29, 2010
TODAY'S CPAC MEETING
I'm calling today the last Chemtura Public Advisory Committee meeting in that it's the last one under the auspices of the old Council. The following dates were advertised: Monday December 6 (this Monday) Lions Hall re: Chemtura spill of Sept. 27/10, January 24/11 next CPAC meeting and finally Jan 31/11 for an O.M.B. mediation meeting regarding the proposed Hawk Ridge Homes subdivision.
Yours truly presented a report describing a brief history of groundwater contamination in Europe in the 1800's due to in ground waste pits as well as lagooning of liquid wastes. Also described was the history of synthetic dyestuffs. This ties in neatly with Elmira's contamination due to the former presence of Borg Textiles in town.
The M.O.E. reported their results in a search for groundwater results from Lot 91, the former Varnicolor Chemical site at the east end of Oriole Parkway. The Chair of CPAC expressed her disappointment in the overall lack of results and monitoring of the wells on site. What I found incredibly disappointing was the Ministry's claim that they could not find any Control Order dealing with Lot 91. I had my copy with me and loaned it to the CPAC secretary during the break for her to photocopy for the M.O.E. staff. My disappointment is in the fact that I believe the new (to CPAC) Ministry staff when they categorically state that they made a serious search for any such document and were unsucessful. Clearly both institutional memory as well as filing systems are sadly lacking.
We also received an update from Chemtura in regards to their continuing efforts to clean up the results of their release of BLE back on September 27/10. John Scarfone of Woolwich Township indicated that the developers for Hawk Ridge Homes are hoping to get their project back on the tracks and have referred the project to the Ontario Municipal Board to do so. The Board are holding a Mediation session between Township Staff and the developers on January 31/11.
Of some concern to me is a Certificate of Approval amendment that Chemtura are proposing. Despite clearly being a "lame duck" committee, similar to the old Woolwich Council which approved the Kuntz/Jigs Hollow Pit last Tuesday, CPAC gave their blessing to this amendment which will reduce the amount of chemical monitoring in Canagagigue Creek. Their may indeed be some merit or not in this proposal but clearly it is one more concession being given to Chemtura and needs to be looked at carefully by the incoming CPAC members.
Odour complaints are on the upswing and these were again described by Shannon Purves Smith to CPAC. Apparently nights and weekends have been particularily bad this past summer and fall.
I'm calling today the last Chemtura Public Advisory Committee meeting in that it's the last one under the auspices of the old Council. The following dates were advertised: Monday December 6 (this Monday) Lions Hall re: Chemtura spill of Sept. 27/10, January 24/11 next CPAC meeting and finally Jan 31/11 for an O.M.B. mediation meeting regarding the proposed Hawk Ridge Homes subdivision.
Yours truly presented a report describing a brief history of groundwater contamination in Europe in the 1800's due to in ground waste pits as well as lagooning of liquid wastes. Also described was the history of synthetic dyestuffs. This ties in neatly with Elmira's contamination due to the former presence of Borg Textiles in town.
The M.O.E. reported their results in a search for groundwater results from Lot 91, the former Varnicolor Chemical site at the east end of Oriole Parkway. The Chair of CPAC expressed her disappointment in the overall lack of results and monitoring of the wells on site. What I found incredibly disappointing was the Ministry's claim that they could not find any Control Order dealing with Lot 91. I had my copy with me and loaned it to the CPAC secretary during the break for her to photocopy for the M.O.E. staff. My disappointment is in the fact that I believe the new (to CPAC) Ministry staff when they categorically state that they made a serious search for any such document and were unsucessful. Clearly both institutional memory as well as filing systems are sadly lacking.
We also received an update from Chemtura in regards to their continuing efforts to clean up the results of their release of BLE back on September 27/10. John Scarfone of Woolwich Township indicated that the developers for Hawk Ridge Homes are hoping to get their project back on the tracks and have referred the project to the Ontario Municipal Board to do so. The Board are holding a Mediation session between Township Staff and the developers on January 31/11.
Of some concern to me is a Certificate of Approval amendment that Chemtura are proposing. Despite clearly being a "lame duck" committee, similar to the old Woolwich Council which approved the Kuntz/Jigs Hollow Pit last Tuesday, CPAC gave their blessing to this amendment which will reduce the amount of chemical monitoring in Canagagigue Creek. Their may indeed be some merit or not in this proposal but clearly it is one more concession being given to Chemtura and needs to be looked at carefully by the incoming CPAC members.
Odour complaints are on the upswing and these were again described by Shannon Purves Smith to CPAC. Apparently nights and weekends have been particularily bad this past summer and fall.
Saturday, November 27, 2010
OLD COUNCIL & THE KUNTZ PIT (Jigs Hollow)
Despite the latest confirmed revelation that this site has been used as a waste disposal site in the past, our Old Council went ahead with their approval of it. One change in the voting as Sandy Shantz voted against it along with Murray Martin who had done so a week ago as well. Besides the sunset clause provision (maximum of 15 years) we now have an environmental assessment required. Unfortunately depending on who's paying for it, you could get the normal client driven drivel produced as allegedly professional unbiased research. This information is in today's Woolwich Observer Pg. 5 along with a couple of dandy Letters to the Editor regarding this proposed gravel pit.
Despite the latest confirmed revelation that this site has been used as a waste disposal site in the past, our Old Council went ahead with their approval of it. One change in the voting as Sandy Shantz voted against it along with Murray Martin who had done so a week ago as well. Besides the sunset clause provision (maximum of 15 years) we now have an environmental assessment required. Unfortunately depending on who's paying for it, you could get the normal client driven drivel produced as allegedly professional unbiased research. This information is in today's Woolwich Observer Pg. 5 along with a couple of dandy Letters to the Editor regarding this proposed gravel pit.
SAFETY-KLEEN & THE O.M.B.
Well I complained about the lack of professionalism in regards to verbal versus written communications so guess what happened? Earlier this week I received a letter from the O.M.B. advising me that the Mediation date would be at Woolwich Council Chambers on January 6, 2011. So far so good then a couple of days later I receive another letter from them with the title "Amended Notice of Mediation Meeting (Change of Venue)". Well the original venue is five minutes away from where I live so I wasn't too happy with the "Change of Venue" until I read more closely. This change simply reflects the new address of the Township building since it's move a couple of years ago.
Well I complained about the lack of professionalism in regards to verbal versus written communications so guess what happened? Earlier this week I received a letter from the O.M.B. advising me that the Mediation date would be at Woolwich Council Chambers on January 6, 2011. So far so good then a couple of days later I receive another letter from them with the title "Amended Notice of Mediation Meeting (Change of Venue)". Well the original venue is five minutes away from where I live so I wasn't too happy with the "Change of Venue" until I read more closely. This change simply reflects the new address of the Township building since it's move a couple of years ago.
Friday, November 26, 2010
NEW CPAC WISH LIST
Following are a number of plans/directions which require either removal, elimination or reversal at the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC). Hopefully with the new Council in place a number of these will happen. The removal of a few different Appendixes in the Annual Monitoring Report for example such as Well Status will be restored. The Monthly Progress Reports need to have their Municipal Upper Aquifer groundwater contour maps restored. The currently proposed site wide Certificate of Approval (Air) needs to be strongly reconsidered. It may simplify (cheapen) things for Chemtura but of what benefit is it to the community? The long promised and decades overdue removal of DDT & Dioxins in the south east corner (GP1 & GP2) needs to be done. The promised removal of buried drums in the south yard is another abomination. How can a company receive verification from the former CCPA (Cnd. Chemical Producers Assocn.) while decades after shutting down the water supply still not have removed easily accessible buried drums? This list is far from complete but hopefully gives the reader a taste of a few outstanding issues.
Following are a number of plans/directions which require either removal, elimination or reversal at the Chemtura Public Advisory Committee (CPAC). Hopefully with the new Council in place a number of these will happen. The removal of a few different Appendixes in the Annual Monitoring Report for example such as Well Status will be restored. The Monthly Progress Reports need to have their Municipal Upper Aquifer groundwater contour maps restored. The currently proposed site wide Certificate of Approval (Air) needs to be strongly reconsidered. It may simplify (cheapen) things for Chemtura but of what benefit is it to the community? The long promised and decades overdue removal of DDT & Dioxins in the south east corner (GP1 & GP2) needs to be done. The promised removal of buried drums in the south yard is another abomination. How can a company receive verification from the former CCPA (Cnd. Chemical Producers Assocn.) while decades after shutting down the water supply still not have removed easily accessible buried drums? This list is far from complete but hopefully gives the reader a taste of a few outstanding issues.
Thursday, November 25, 2010
WIND, SOLAR, BIOMASS & HYDROELECTRIC
Yesterday's K-W Record (PG. A4) has this headline "Nuclear, green energy highlight $87 billion plan". Coal is out by 2014 and half our energy will come from nuclear power. "The plan calls for $14 billion to be spent on wind power, $9 billion on solar projects, $4.6 billion on new hydroelectric generation, $ 4 billion on biomass energy, $ 1.8 billion on natural gas plants, $ 9 billion on transmission lines and $ 12 billion on conservation programs". The province are hoping to generate an additional 10,700 megawatts of electricity from wind, solar and biomass projects by 2018. No one can argue about the need and desireability of green energy. Lots of people can argue however about nuclear power. I truly do not know just how far in the hole we are in regards to energy needs. My suspicion is that at crunch time most or all of us will accept nuclear and its' hazards rather then freezing in the dark).
Yesterday's K-W Record (PG. A4) has this headline "Nuclear, green energy highlight $87 billion plan". Coal is out by 2014 and half our energy will come from nuclear power. "The plan calls for $14 billion to be spent on wind power, $9 billion on solar projects, $4.6 billion on new hydroelectric generation, $ 4 billion on biomass energy, $ 1.8 billion on natural gas plants, $ 9 billion on transmission lines and $ 12 billion on conservation programs". The province are hoping to generate an additional 10,700 megawatts of electricity from wind, solar and biomass projects by 2018. No one can argue about the need and desireability of green energy. Lots of people can argue however about nuclear power. I truly do not know just how far in the hole we are in regards to energy needs. My suspicion is that at crunch time most or all of us will accept nuclear and its' hazards rather then freezing in the dark).
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