In a bold and
unprecedented move Friday, the Sierra Club of Canada urged that Nova Scotia's
chief medical officer be fired over statements made concerning toxic contamination
on Sydney's Frederick Street.
Elizabeth
May, the club's executive director, said Dr. Jeff Scott has lost his credibility
and Nova Scotians deserve better from such an important public office.
May was incensed
at Scott's statements in the press concerning Frederick Street contamination
in which he is reported to have said that residents are not at risk.
"premature
and reassuring statements from Jeff Scott only serve to undermine the legitimate
demands of residents to be moved," said May.
Scott is on
vacation and was not available for comment Friday.
However, Health
Department spokesperson Sue McKeage said the department continues to have
the utmost confidence in Scott's ability.
"He is in
direct contact with the residents of Frederick Street on a near daily basis
and working as quickly as possible to ensure all tests are performed,"
said McKeage.
Frederick
Street resident Juanita McKenzie said Scott does maintain constant contact
with her and that she was reserving comment on the Sierra Club's demand
until after meeting with the other residents. She said Scott told
her that his comment was made prior to the release of testing results but
only reported after the results were released.
An exhaustive
round of soil and water sampling on Frederick Street has shown elevated
levels of arsenic, lead, iron and other metals along with some poly aromatic
hydrocarbons. The levels exceed national standards.
The final
testing report released to residents earlier this week concluded that the
exposure and risk to local residents from the contamination has not been
identified.
Testing results
from blood and hair samples taken from residents are not expected to be
completed until some time next week.
The residents
are demanding they be relocated as the street is located near what many
consider to be North America's worst toxic waste dump.
The Muggah
Creek Watershed is a toxic coctail like no other and included an overstuffed
municipal landfill and 700,000 tonnes of toxic sludge which comprise the
Sydney tar ponds.
Signs posted
on the fence surrounding the site warn of a human health hazard.
Tory environment
critic Jim DeWolfe - MLA Pictou East - toured the street Friday and met
with residents.
He said he's
not surprised by the call for Scott to leave his post but that the issue
really is, where is Premier Russell MacLellan?
"He has to
get over here and deal with the issue," said DeWolfe, noting the premier
lives in Sydney but has yet to meet with the residents.
He said any
comment by Scott that the health of residents is not at risk when contaminants
exceed national standards just doesn't make sense.
"My heart
goes out to these people and, like them, I am worried about the long term
effects."
Cape Breton
the Lakes MLA Helen MacDonald also joined the chorus Friday.
"It's absolutely
incredible when you hear public health officials dismiss levels of arsenic
that are 18 times higher than the guidelines, naphthalene levels up to
8.9 times higher and molybdenum and benzo pyrene levels that are six times
the recommended limit," said MacDonald, a New Democrat.
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