The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Region makes "final offer" to polluter In return for a promise of strict adherance to the sewer Vol. w use bylaw, Durham Regional Council is ex- pected to offer to drop 15, No. Il 169 charges it has laid against two Whitby fir- ms. However, according to Durham Regional Chairman Gary Herrema, that offer comes with a few con- ditions. Firstly, the w ji NI P"R E. causing part of the Cor- bett Creek Water Pollution Control Plant to be shut for over five months. However, Herrema said that the companies have paid well over $100,000 to make the plant fully operational again. companies must drop all appeals against past convictions, pay all fines that have been levied against them, pay a $6,000 "nuisance fee" and pay for all clean-up costs that were incurred after a May, 1984 spill. Both Herrema and Whitby Mayor Bob At- tersley support this compromise position saying that the region's only other alternative would be to close down Plastic Surface Finishers and the Plastic Plating Com- pany and their plant on Burns St. E. These two companies are now owned by Plastic Holdings Ltd. and Herrema says that despite the company's poor track record, he wants council to give the new management a chance to clean-up its act. "This is the best deal we can find for the region, the workers and - the public," Herrema told the Free Press Monday. The chairman also noted that he has yet to receive any response on the deal from the com- panies but noted that this was the region's "final offer". "This.deal goes in the right direction," Atter- sley said, "While we're opposed to any pollution of the system but we have to try to correct it rather than put them out of business." Both Herrema and At- tersley said that if the region's offer is accep- ted, the public works department will con- tinue to monitor the plant's output of toxic chemicals into the regional sewer system to ensure they stay within the legal limits. Over the course of the last few years, both Plastic Surface Finishers and thé Plastic Plating Com- pany have been charged frequently with dum- ping too much chemical waste into the sewer system. The worst spill oc- cured last May when some 300 gallons of chromium was spilled accidently into the sanitary sewer system Blowing bubbles for science Adam Mackenzie, a grader7student at Col. J.E. Farewell Public School demonstrates his party bubble machine. Mackenzie's project won first prize at the school's science fair which was held last week. The next stage for the enterprising young scien- tist are the regional science fairs to be held later this year. The idea for the bubble blowing machine came from a National Geographic magazine. The fair also had many.other inventions by students including a computer demonstration center, presentations on old sailing ships and games with electricity and flashing lights. Wednesday, March 13, 1985 40 Pages Inside this week Salute to progress It is a well known maxim that if an in- dividual or a community doesn't progress, it will regress. Over the past year, Whitby has progressed mightily. New homes and businesses have come to town bringing a new sense of prosperity to the area. Included in today's issue of the Whitby Free Press is our annual "Progress" section which highlights just some of the local businesses which have made a substantial contribution to the economic prosperity of this community. In its 16 pages, the reader can gain an un- derstanding of the working and plans of each of these businesses. They all provide em- ployment for our neighbours and give us bright hopes for the future. They are one of the major reasons why Whitby is "A Place to Live, Work and Play." i ATTERSLEY | Attersley said that the companies have acquired the same type of testing equipment as that used by the region. This means there should be no differences in fin- dings when the effluent is tested. "And if they step out of line, we'll jump all over them," the mayor said. "We'll then have to prosecute heavily, and we'll put him out of business but we can't tolerate pollution and I'm one of the first to support that." Both Attersley and Herrema noted that if the region was forced to close down the plant, some 150 people would be added to the local unemployment rolls and neither man is anxious to see that happen. Herrema said that the plant's discharge will be tested weekly and if any violation of the bylaws are found, "we'll just lay charges and im- mediately go to court." Attersley told the Free Press that regional council's management committee has been assured by the solicitor that the region's offer was a fair one and that the companies will sup- portit. "This proposal is an opportunity for them to stay in business," the mayor said, "The only other alternative is to take them to task and put them out of business. "I think council has been very fair."