INDEX PCB Digest -6/14/02
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1) The Toronto Sun - 6/13/02
Study slams waste laws
Tory assessment rules a 'failure'
2) The Temiskaming Speaker - 6/12/02 - Front Page
Massive regional environmental protest planned Sunday for Earlton
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1) The Toronto Sun - 6/13/02
Study slams waste laws
Tory assessment rules a 'failure'
By ALAN FINDLAY, QUEEN'S PARK BUREAU
Ontario's Tory environment ministers have manipulated dump, incinerator and other project proposals to the detriment of the public and the environment, a new study charges.
The Canadian Environmental Law Association released a 283-page report reviewing Ontario's environmental assessment laws and practices yesterday, concluding the government is failing
to meet even its own standards.
"The new regime of environmental assessment has been a dismal failure," Paul Muldoon, executive director of the association, said.
He and the report's author, University of Toronto professor Philip Byer, said the environment minister can ease environmental assessment rules for a company's project, allowing them to go
through with no input from the local community.
One such example was the decision to allow the Kirkland Lake dump at Adams Mine, which overlooked broad environmental concerns.
Environment Minister Chris Stockwell was quoted this spring as saying Kirkland Lake could become a waste disposal "mecca." Stockwell said yesterday the association is a highly respected
group and he wants to read its report before commenting on the conclusions.
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2) The Temiskaming Speaker - 6/12/02 - Front Page
Massive regional environmental protest planned Sunday for Earlton
by Darlene Wroe
Speaker Reporter
DISTRICT (Staff ) - A protest will be held Sunday, June 16 against the Ontario Ministry of Environment's (MOE) environmental assessment process for the proposed Bennett dioxin/polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) incinerator in Kirkland Lake .
Convoys of vehicles will be taking to Highway 11 as a show of force against the project.
The action will mark the International Day Against Incineration, says Public Concern Temiskaming which is made up of groups opposing the project. The group also states that "northern residents are worried that the MOE is attempting to turn the Temiskaming region into a toxic dumping and burning ground for United States and Mexican waste.
Public Concern Temiskaming has also noted that Trans Cycle Industries in Kirkland Lake is also seeking approval for an expansion. Between the two facilities, Public Concern Temiskaming estimates there will be 30,000 trucks annually travelling the highway system to deliver the waste, and to haul the residual waste to secure landfill sites in Sarnia and Quebec.
Public Concern Temiskaming is protesting that "neither projects are being subject to public hearings or independent reviews of safety and health issues. If the projects get the go ahead it would mean Ontario highways would be faced with nearly half a million tonnes of toxic waste being shipped along the highways every year to be burned in a residential neighbourhood in Kirkland Lake.
CONVOYS
The protest will include four convoys of vehicles. The first will leave from Cochrane and head south picking up vehicles in Matheson, Iroquois Falls and Wagoshig First Nation. The convoy will meet up with a second convoy heading west from Rouyn Noranda, Quebec which will then join cars leaving Kirkland Lake. The convoys will then head south along Highway 11 through Englehart and meet in Earlton with the northbound convoy.
Those vehicles will be travelling from Muskoka, South River, Corbeil and North Bay.
Yet another convoy of vehicles will be travelling from the east, from Timiskaming First Nation, Notre-Dame-du-Nord, Ville-Marie, and Roullier in Quebec.
They will meet with a convoy from Temagami, Cobalt, Haileybury and New Liskeard.
The action will culminate in a rally and picnic in Earlton.
Opponents have also presented an outline of accidents that have occurred at a Bennett incinerator in St-Ambroise, Quebec.
A press conference was held Wednesday morning, June 5, at Queen�s Park in Toronto where New Democratic Party environment critic Marilyn Churley spoke on the need to press the Ontario Ministry of Environment for accountability in protecting the safety of Ontario citizens. She was joined by representatives of Public Concern Temiskaming, including Terry Graves of Haileybury.
The proposed site in Kirkland Lake would be the largest of its kind in Canada.
Among concerns listed by opponents of the project is the siting which would be near two grade schools and a day care, as well as a residential neighbourhood.
WANT INDEPENDENT ASSESSMENTS
Opponents also express concerns that the environmental assessment hearings for the incinerator are completely dependent on the claims and computer modelling supplied by company-paid consultants. Opponents are concerned because it appears the ministry does not intend to have the claims independently assessed. Opponents are also worried that the ministry does not intend to pressure the company to provide any serious operating data from its existing plant at St-Ambroise.
Public concern Temiskaming states that �We have obtained safety violations reports from last winter that indicate that on a number of occasions, toxins were blown out into the surrounding environment through the opening of the incinerator�s emergency release stack.� Public Concern Temiskaming continues that �anytime there is an emergency or a power interruption at the plant, the emergency release stack will open and flush out all the toxins into the surrounding environment.�
Public Concern Temiskaming warns that �given the kind of toxins being burned in this plant, any release of emissions from the emergency release stack poses serious health concerns. The Kirkland Lake plant will be at least twice the size of the St-Ambroise operation and will be used to burn dioxin-contaminated waste.�
Public Concern Temiskaming wants the ministry to �examine the full track record of Bennett�s Quebec plant.�
Public Concern Temiskaming is calling on the ministry �to undertake a full and independent audit of Bennett�s existing incinerator at St-Ambroise, Quebec, before any moves are made to license Bennett in Ontario. �In addition, we are calling on the province to force the company to disclose to the public any and all accident reports, violations and upset incidents that have occurred at the plant over the last five years.
�We are also demanding that Chris Stockwell (minister of environment) respect the guidelines drawn up by minsters of the environment from across Canada regarding the siting of toxic waste incinerators.�
Public Concern Temiskaming also attended a meeting in Burks Falls with about 50 area residents to outline concerns about increased transportation of contaminants along the highway, as a result of the project. A commitment of support has been received from that group.
Bennett Environmental Inc. did not return The Speaker�s calls in spite of repeated attempts.
An effort to contact Trans Cycle Industries before this issue of The Speaker went to press was also unsuccessful.
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http://members.fortunecity.com/toxic/
PCB Information
http://www21.brinkster.com/nopcb/