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PAGE 4, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBZR 10, I1986, WI-ITBY FREE PRESS rill histit-d ever v !e mn d w h t yBy 67209 Ontario Ina. BILL MCOUAT Communfity Editor mo P Phone 668-8111 VLRECW' -l'ie reeI'st.s Buldig, Advertising Manager Voice of the County Town Doug Anderson Publisher 1:1 Bru<.k Sir-et Northi. se<I (;Idss mai, Michael Ian Burgessa- Managlng Editor P-0<. Box 2116, Whitby, ()lit. Rs1eatin- No 5351 The oniy Whitby niewspaper indepcmîdenltlv own ed and operated h% Whithv mesidenits for Whithv residenta. -Deeom: This week the Free Press learned that there have been. problemns with the incinerators operated by Decom Medical Waste Systems Inc. in Gatineau, Quebec. In fact, these problems were sufficiently serious that Quebe's Ministry of the Environment permanently shut down one 0f the incinerators and is closely monitoring the performance of the remaining three. If the in- cinerators are not operating up to scratch by November Quebec will order Decom to instal new emmission controls. What was perhaps even more alarming, was this week's revelation that for more than a year Federal government agen- cies have been directed by Environment Canada not to use the Gatineau facility because of its record of environmental infractions. What 15 alarming about these discoveries is that, even if town solicitor David Sims had known about them, they would have.been inad- missable as evidence. in the Environmental Assessment Board hearing into the Decom ap- plication. We have questioned the efficacy of the enough is provincial legislation governing environmental approvals on these pages in the past and this latest information only serves to highlight the weaknesses in the system. If there was ever any doubt that our environmental legislation is'not necessarily designed to protect the environment first, that doubt is fast shrinking away to a negligible spec on the horizon. In its place, we are confronted with the spectre of a system that has gone terribly awry. Surely the Ontario government was fully aware of the problems at the Gatineau in- cineratnrs and the fact that the federal agencies are not using them. Presumably the feds aren't using-the facility because they don't want to fur- ther contribute to what is obviously a serious problemf yet the province appears dead set upon overlooking this sound practice in favour of ad- dressing what must be, for Ontario, a higher priority - a means of dispossing of pathological waste at any cost. Ontario's Ministry of the En- vironment was in attendance throughout the enough Decom hearing and chose not to reveal this in- formation. In fact the MOE's representative seemed more interested in supporting Decom's dlaims than offering anything resembling objec- tive input. The town is expected to appeal the EAB's con- clusions to the Minister of the Environment and hopefully this latest evidence will weigh heavily in his considerations. More importantly, we would hope the minister will conclude that it is high time our environmental legislation was reviewed from stem to stern. If the new Liberal government at Queen's Park expects voters to believe that they really care about the environ- ment, they've got some cleaning up to do. And in the meantime, their dlaims to an environmental conscience will carry a little more credibility if they caîl an immediate haît to the Decom proposai. It's time we said "Enough is enough". Letters to the Editor To The Editor: The Corridor Area Ratepayers Association deplores and-objeets to the Environmental Assessment Board's decision in favour of Decom. Locating Decom in Whitby, as or- dered by thse Ministry of the Environment is a mistake Thse environmental report, as written, was exceptionaily mild and appears completely in favor of the desires of Decom and thse officiais of the Ministry. Mr. Charles Hill, a microbiologist, pointed out many dangers flot noted Ini the report. 1) Lack of pest control - in- sects, rodents, skunks, foxes, birds, etc. 2) Thse danger of using car- dboard containers "ieven for buckets of blood" which his per- sonal experience has proven to be disastrous. 3) Thse fact that Decom is using the same drivers and supervisor that ran the Ontario Removai Service that caused thse uproar in Ajax. - How much training is needed to break tbem of their old habits? But more im- portant Mr. Hill pointed out that thse location, on one of Witby's main road junctions, adjacent to light commercial business and, residen- ces, is suitabie for 99 percent of the waste but is a veritable time bomb for the one percent which will cause disastrous results because of the close quarters. Region Chairman Gary Herrema or his representative was con- spicuous by his absence at the hearing. He was publicly askerl <o make some comment but demurred. Mr. Herremfa doesn't seem to appreciate is area is being 11dumped on" literally. Maybe he should read the Regional healtis report on cancer, sometbing thse E.A.P. report ignored also. One won- ders what migbt be causing it? Pickering Dump, now Decom, and down the road, Eldorado. Wbat wil l the cancer -rate be five years from now? Aren't you interested, sir? The mayor of Witby bas commented that he bas had no cails re: Decom. HMs problems appears to be that he is neyer available to take cails. For ail reidents who pboned and couldn't reach im, and, since Mr. Attersiey wisbes to know the desires of the eiec- torate, it might help if tisose who wish to con- tact him try al of the foilowing numbers: 668- 5803, 668-5044, 571-3400, 668-3356, 728-9432 and if he can't be reached then, leave a message. Thse Town Council of Whitby created thse probiem by accepting the application at an "in camera"' meeting witbout consulting the general public, It ap- pears that most of tise members did not do their bomework because once tise public learned of it the council reversed its position and came out publicly op- posing Decom. Tise problem arose from thse secret "in camera" ac- ceptance. The Ministry jumped at tise oppor- tunity to rid tbemselves of an embarrassment - Ajax, and botis Decom and the Ministry had a "fait accompli". Since council is responsibie for Decom's acceptance tise Ratepayer's position is that council bas tise responsibility of stop- ping it and if tisey are unable to do so it is ex- pected tisey resign as being incapable of adequately bandling tise affairs of Witby. It is a sisame but is appears tiat everything in Drha isgoing to tbe dumps. Patrick Dooley V.P. Corridor Area Ratepayer's Assoc To Thse Editor: Re: Decom Biomedical Patisological waste Inc. Me? I'm not looking for votes. I'm not into ribbon cutting and lI'm not looking to line my pockets. Al i am is a Whitby taxpayer, looking for cleaner air to breath. cleaner water to drink and just simply wanting to live in a cleaner environment. Yet, tbe Environmental Assessment Board has just given us their an- swer on tise foliowing question: Where is the best suitable site for a pathological waste transfer station? a) In a sensitive in- dustrial area (food producers, restaurants, etc.) and close to a den- se residential area? b) As far removed (rom towns as possible to limit the health risks involved? Why, A of course, says the environmental board! But then, what is to be expected of a gover- nment agency that has proven over and over again isow to save the environment! Tise resuits speak for them- selves! So now - tisere's Decom. Decom is flot an in- dustry. It does not produce anything. It wili bowever - for the aimighty dollar, haul pathological waste (romn aIl over Ontario and use the "proposed" site iere in Whitby to dump that waste for -4p to>24 isours longer in fouI weatber) isaving then gathered a truckload full - it will be tran- sferred by trucks to Quebec. Having read the report of tbe EAB, I could not help but be totally impressed by a certain Miss Levine (a microbiologist) who. af- ter checkins tise draft proposai for tise transfer station came up with this astonishing opinion: if the facility operated as proposed, (by the E.A.B.); if the containers remain in- tack; if the refridgeration systems function, then there should be no concern tisat infection would spread to the com- munity at large! What a total bunch of crap. l'm flot a microbiologîsi but 1 could have made up those same if's and should's myseif. thereby assuring the people of Whithy nothing. If ail if*s had lived up to reality - the disasier in Russia wouid not have happened, three mile island would he paradise, al astraunauts would have safely returned to eartis, the Titanic would still be afloat, nuclear waste would be stored n sen- sitive industrial areas. Or dloser to home - fisis, caugist out of tise lakes would be eatable, our water drinkable without ail thse cbemicals), our air nice and breathable, our SIEE PAGE Il Poliey The Whitby Ëree Press is aiways iooking for letters to tihe editor and weicomes letters on any issues that concern its readers. Whiie the paper reserves the right to reject or edit any letters for publication, a letter that is short and to the point is most ikely to appear on our editoriai page In- tact. Athough not ail issues can be addressed in a short letter. the best is one of about 300 words or less. Ail letters to the editor must be signed and accompanied by a phone number for the editors information. Letters may be sent to: The Editor. Whitbv Free Press. 1:11 Brock Street Nor-