ADD DECEPTION, DISTRACTION AND DEFLECTION TO THE M.O.E.'s REPERTOIRE

I have recently been commenting on the Elmira Advocate regarding how the Ontario Ministry of Environment are (mis) directing the investigation of the Canagagigue Creek in Elmira, Ontario. The test results for sediments as well as floodplain soils in and around the creek taken in 2012, 2013 and 2014 have been incredibly damaging to Chemtura/M.O.E. credibility. DDT and Dioxins/Furans have been above Canadian Sediment and Agricultural Soil guidelines and various Effect levels repeatedly. Hence the M.O.E. want to change the channel and do a Human Health Risk Assessment.

The big out for the M.O.E. is that they can interview downstream farmers and residents and claim that despite the toxins present in and around the creek, allegedly there is very little exposure routes for human beings. In one sense this could be correct in that there have already been enough human beings damaged by the creek over the last sixty to seventy years that longtime locals probably have learned to avoid the creek at all costs and to especially keep their children out of it. How this plays out with the Martin swimming pond, downstream of the Stroh Drain and directly connected to the pond I do not know. It is inconceivable to me that there have not been human health effects via this route but whether they can be documented or more likely ignored by a risk assessment expert is anyone's guess. When the most likely explanation for going this route in the first place is to minimize cleanup costs it really is difficult to believe that it will be an honest process.

While the focus of the 2012-2014 investigation was Dioxins/Furans and DDT, the reality is that there is so much more going untested. This includes PCBs, Persistent Organic Pollutants and PAHs (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons). Each one of these is toxic to both human beings and to aquatic life in and around the creek.