GOVERNMENTS DO NOT PROTECT THEIR CITIZENS

As long as governments can sweep problems under the carpet or sucessfully minimize the threat to health health, they will do that before offending powerful interests. Here in Elmira, Ontario we are just now getting the Ministry of the Environment, a provincial ministry, involved in doing something about the discharges of DDT and Dioxins onto Chemtura, Canada's eastern neighbour's property.

Both the M.O.E. and Chemtura (Uniroyal Chemical) had full knowledge of these problems thirty years ago, yet chose not to take action. Various reports by consultants for the company as well as by the M.O.E. themselves made it clear back then that both surface and groundwater were flowing onto the neighbour's farm. There was visible crop damage done which is hardly a surprise when you realize that herbicides were part of the mix of toxic liquid wastes being discharged.

We have been finding disturbing levels of DDT in the Canagagigue Creek, downstream of both Chemtura as well as their eastern neighbour for the last three years of testing. These results are in contrast with improved biomonitoring results on the Chemtura site indicating that creekbank cleanup and stabilization have been sucessful in greatly reducing uptake by clams and leeches in the creek.

It is long past time for much greater action rather than the neverending investigations, work plans and assorted other time wasting efforts.