INDEX PCB Digest - 6/5/02
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1) Public Concern Temiskaming - For Immediate Release - 6/5/02
Accident Reports Contradict EA Claims on Bennett Incinerator
2) Public Concern Temiskaming - Media Advisory - 6/5/02
Muskoka Residents Oppose Toxic Trucking Plans for Kirkland Lake PCBs

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1) Public Concern Temiskaming - For Immediate Release - June 5, 2002
Accident Reports Contradict EA Claims on Bennett Incinerator

Toronto – At a press conference held at Queen’s Park today, NDP Environment Critic Marilyn Churley released a series of damning documents about the controversial Bennett incinerator. The reports, dating from October 2001 to March 2002, list a series of accidental releases at Bennett’s existing incinerator in St. Ambroise, Quebec. In each incident, toxins were blown out into the surrounding environment through the opening of the emergency release stack. The reports contradict claims being made by the company in their draft EA submission to Ontario’s Ministry of Environment.

Marilyn Churley was joined in this press conference by Terry Graves of Public Concern Temiskaming. He points out that under the scoped EA process, the MOE is unlikely to even look at Bennett’s track record. The EA relies entirely on studies supplied by company-paid consultants.

“We have documents that reveal a pattern of upsets and blow outs at the existing Bennett incinerator,” says Graves. “They contradict the claims being made by the Bennett EA submission. No wonder the MOE doesn’t want to hold full or public hearings. If the MOE dealt with the hard evidence of Bennett’s track record, there’s no way the incinerator would ever be licensed in Ontario.”

Bennett has claimed in its EA submission that if there were any accidental releases of toxins through emergency stack, the stack would not be left open for more than a minute. Documents, however, show a series of accidents where toxins were being released for anywhere from two to 14 minutes. The causes of these incidents ranged from human error to mechanical breakdowns.

Graves says even one blow out, let alone a series of blow outs, as suggested by these reports, poses serious health concerns.

“The Bennett incinerator is going to be built near two grade schools and a day care,” says Graves. “It will be burning extremely dangerous toxins such as dioxin. There is no safe level for exposure to these toxins.”

Public Concern Temiskaming is calling on the MOE to undertake a full and independent audit of Bennett’s existing incinerator at St. Ambroise. In addition, they want the Province to force the company to disclose any and all accident reports and upset incidents that have occurred at the plant over the last five years.

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P. O. Box 2320
New Liskeard, ON P0J 1P0
705-647-1533
[email protected]

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2) Public Concern Temiskaming - Media Advisory - June 5, 2002
Muskoka Residents Oppose Toxic Trucking Plans for Kirkland Lake PCBs

Residents in the Muskoka/Almaguin district of Central Ontario are getting involved in the growing battle against PCB imports and incineration in Northern Ontario. People living along Highway 11 from Huntsville to Burkes Falls are invited to a public meeting about the dangers of toxic trucking through their communities.

If the Bennett incinerator is approved (along with its neighbouring Trans Cycle Industries PCB handling operation), Ontario highways could end up dealing with nearly half a million tonnes of toxic waste a year.

This means that one truck every half hour will be hauling PCBs, dioxins and other highly toxic waste from toxic waste sites across North America. The truck routes will go through some of Ontario’s most populated centers.

The public awareness meeting is being hosted by the Concerned Citizens of Armour Township and will feature speakers from Public Concern Temiskaming (PCT). As well, PCT will be doing presentations in local high schools about the dangers of dioxin contamination.

Event: Public Meeting Over Toxic Trucking Plans for Bennett Incinerator

Location: Berriedale Community Centre
North Pickerel Rd. (off Highway 11)

Thursday, June 6th, 7 pm
 
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P. O. Box 2320
New Liskeard, ON P0J 1P0
705-647-1533
[email protected]

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