Quebec incinerators monitored Feds won' use Decom By MIKE JOHNSTON Free Press Staff For more than a year Federal agencies such as Agriculture Canada and Health and Welfare Canada have been in- structed to steer clear of Decom Medical Waste Systems Inc. because the company's ln- cinerators in Gatineau, Quebec are seriously flawed. In fact problems at the facility forced the Quebec government to permanently shut down one incinerator last November and officiais are closely monitoring the remaining three. Ronald Nobes of En- vironment Canada/En- vironmiental Protection, Ontario Region, told the Free Press on Tuesday that. the recommen- dation followed to in- vestigations of the in- cinerators since they opened for business irn 1985. "lWe were flot happy with whatwe saw," said Nobes. Nobe explained that black smoke was visible in the emissions from the incinerators,' waste was discovered in ashes, un-burned bio- medical waste was discovered in containers golng to landfill,. and test tube stoppers had remained behind after theý test tubes had been destroyed. "On a couple of oc- casions Decom was not alIowed to use the Ian- dfill site because workers were afraid of unburnt material," said Nobes. A representive with the Quebec Ministry of Environment told the Free Press that the three incinerators Decom ' has been operating in Gatineau since June of 1985 failed emission tests in Novemberof last yesr. Joanne Geoffrione of the . Ministry of En- vironment in Quebec said one incinerator failed the tests so badly it was shut down She said gases such as HCL, <Hydro Chloric Acid), were discovered coming from the in- cinerators. "The one was shut down for good but they did corrections to the other two," said Ceof- frione. She told the Free Press that Decom bas since built a new in- ciner ator at Gatjneau. But she was unaware whether it was related to Quebec's decision to shut down one in- cinerator. Decom officiais were unavailable for com- ment. Geoffrione 'said the Quebec government wil conduct new tests at the incinerators in Novem- ber. "They have to prove. the incinerators are correct. If they meet the criteria, good. If flot, they will have to instal a dlean-up system. " Geoffrione 'explained the dlean-up system would rid emissions into the atmosphere of har- mful gases. Nobes said the Federal government will also be reviewing the, incinerators in November. "We're- hoping it SEE PAGE 12 Town may fight Decom By MIKE JOIINSTON Free Press Staff Whitby council should ask the Ontario cabinet to overturn the En- vironrnental Assess- ment Board's approval of the Decom ap- plication. Barring that, council should seriously consider taking the mat- ter to the Supreme Court. This was the recom- inendation put forth by councillor Joe Drumm at *Monday night's meeting of the town's administrative commit- tee. The committee ap- proved the recommen- dation which will go to council for approval at its meeting on Monday night. Councillor Drumm said that at the heart of the matter is the. law which prohibits the town to appeal the EAB decîsion. "If the applicant has the right to appeal then we can," said Drunim. Under the Environ- mental Protection Adt which governed the proceedings of the hearing into the transfer station, only the- ap- plicant is allowed to ap- peal a decision by the EAB. The board recently approved the transfer station 'to be huiil on Sunray St. in Whitby. I'under the con- stitution, this curtails my right to appeal," said Drumm, who's motion states that the court challenge would ')e in keeping with the SEE PAGE 12 The Whitby Knights of Columbus, St. John the Evangelist Council -4895, installed new executive on June 30. The term will run for one year. Seen here are Dave Flolinaty, financial secretary, Joseph O'Connell, Chancellor, Wally Sikora, District Deputy, Brian McKinnon, Grand Knight, Father Bernard Wilson, Chapain and Larry Uuest, Deputy Grand Knight. The Knights of Columbus are involved in many worthwhile charities and this year's executive intend to uphold that tradition. Free Press Staff Photo Hostage taking ends quietly An armed, man surrendered peacefully to Durham Regional police after holding his ex-wife hostage for 54! hours in hier Whitby home Saturday. Charged with break and enter with intent, possession of a prohibitive weapon, possession of .a dangerous weapon and fqrcible confinement is Mitchell Roy Malanuk, 29, of 486 LavaI Dr, Oshawa., Police said the man broke into a home at 212 Dovedale Dr. in Whitby where his former wife lives, at 2:40, a.m. on Saturday, September 5, carrying a 12 gage sawed off shotgun, am- munition and a knife. He then barricaded himself and the vrictim, Rose Malanuk, 26, in the basemnent of the bouse. Police were called by the womnan's sister and mother who managed to escape fromn the house shortly before the hostage taking began. The man disconnected the phone in the house but police were able to talk to hlm through a window. A tactical unit was called in by police to handle a worst case scenario. But negotiations led to the release of the victim then later the man surrcndered himself to police, exiting the bouse at 7:40 a.m. No shots were fired during the incident. On September 15 the 1986 United Way cam- paign kicks into higi, gear and close to 50 volunteers will be poun- ding the pavement and manning the phones in an effort to raise this year's campaign target of $214.000 - up f rom the $193000 raised in Whit- by lasi year. As in past years, the campaign will be aimed ai the workplace where both employers and employees will be asked 10 cuntribute. And with less than iwo months lu reach their ambitious target. Whitby cam- paign chairman Dennis Martin admits the vulunteers have a big tiztsk ahead of them -Weve gui a preiiy good group uf peuple but I think the important lhîng for people lu remember iii ihat these volunteers art, giving up their uwn lime lu do Ibis and when ihey work hard Io make a contact 1ts important ihal the' people in the companies are responsive. It's im- portant to get something in' return for our time beause the (United Way) agencies need the money," said Martin. The campaign will be broken up into two halves. explained Mar- tin. Approximately haîf the volunteers will be canvassing Whitby's in- dustrial sector while the remainder will « be working the business community, profession- ai offices and employers such as the Town of Whitby. In the industrial sec- tor Martin said there are close to 150 in- dustries to be can- vassed, industries ranging in size from a major employer like LASCO Steel to smaller personnel managers tu request a corporate donation and they will also attempt to gel each cumpany to organize an SEI 1>AGE '17 Vol. 16,N.36 Wednesday September 10, 1986 28 Pages Executive installed United Way gearing up for eampaign'86'