Official Explanations avoid the obvious
Letter to editor from Mary Ruth MacLellan
Cape Breton Post
Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2003
Parker Donham concludes that
because the wind was blowing in
the opposite direction, he is confident
that chemicals are not coming
from the Sydney tar ponds and coke
ovens site(Airborne chemicals
Remain a Mystery, Sept. 12). How
long are the people here going to sit
back and allow our tax dollars to be
gobbled up by people who have no
concern for our human health?
I believe it is proven fact that
chemicals from the coke ovens and
tar ponds sites have migrated in all
directions for many miles. I believe
the government partners acknowledge
this not only in reports but
also in their haphazard cleanup or,
remediation efforts, remediating
properties on all sides of the site
and some as far away as Catherine
Street.
The facts speak for themselves,
industrial chemicals were found in
extremely high levels in many areas
around the site.
It doesn't take a rocket scientist
to know that on hot summer days
chemicals that are dormant in the
ground will disperse or evaporate
into the air and have many harmful
effects on our planet, vegetation,
animals and, more important,
people-especially children.
In addition, chemicals that migrate are
spread many miles and in whatever
direction the wind decides to take
them.
As a lifelong resident of industrial
Cape Breton I am fed up with
airy-fairy political Klingons who
are mystified when the problem hits
them right in the face. Why is it that
they are not so questioning when
they get their paycheques? It's time
someone burst their bubble.
Fortunately for Donham and his
buddies, it won't be me for I am too
busy caring for my family members
who are suffering the ill effects of
smoking these toxic fumes all their
lives. No, it's not their lifestyles that
gave them cancer; they are healthy"
eaters, non-smokers and non-
drinkers.
Wake up, people. How many more
have to die for human health to be
protected? Move the people now.
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