By Tanya Collier
The removal of derelict buildings and contaminated
materials on Sydney’s coke oven site was
discussed during a working group session of the
Joint Action Group (JAG) Tuesday.
Francis Sirois, chair of environmental data
gathering and research assessments (EDGAR)
working group, said members skipped meeting
formalities and immediately began discussing
options listed within a 1998 Coke Ovens Follow-up
Sampling Program by Jacques Whitford.
Some of the areas and items discussed included
the former Benzol area tank, cooling tower grids,
brick piles from stacks previously torn down,
remnants of a byproduct plant and a partially
standing sulfuric acid building. There is also some
coal and coke that remains on the site.
Sirois said there is also a small water pipe sticking
out of the ground that is “spewing” contaminated
water. A decision must also be made on two stacks
Selecting options will likely take a few EDGAR
sessions, he continued. When they have completed
their meetings, they will be making a presentation
to the JAG steering committee and JAG
roundtable.
Sirois said the working group is waiting for
Environment Canada to conclude its efforts on
terms of reference for interim measures concerning
the cleanup of the site. The information is expected
soon.
Government Guidelines Support Sierra Club's
Call for Peer Review of CANTOX Report
Release
Wednesday, February 24, 1999 - For Immediate Release
Sydney - The Sierra Club of Canada released today an excerpt from the
Ontario government's "Guidelines for Use at Contaminated Sites" which
requires a peer review whenever a risk assessment is conducted on a
contaminated site.
"We were startled to discover that not only is it a recommended step in
Ontario, but a required procedure that all health risk assessments receive
a peer review," said Elizabeth May, Executive Director of the Sierra Club
of Canada. "We know that the Medical Officer, Dr. Jeff Scott, must be aware
of these requirements, which have been completely ignored in the case of
the CANTOX Inc. health risk assessment on Frederick Street."
"We challenge the Nova Scotia government to review the health risk
assessment, which we commissioned on the site, and/or to hire an
independent firm to conduct its own peer review. Frankly, the CANTOX risk
assessment is so clearly flawed that it defies belief the government would
continue to put its faith in the document," said Ms. May.
The Sierra Club also questions why Health Canada’s recommendations were not
followed. According to a recently uncovered Health Canada report, prepared
under contract by CANTOX and Golder Associates, risk assessment should be
quite different than the two and a half week exercise undertaken by CANTOX
for residents of Frederick Street. The Health Canada report underscores the
importance of involving stakeholders throughout the risk assessment
process, and further emphasizes the importance that the risk assessment
team have a "multidisciplinary" background.
"We can hardly believe that CANTOX has made recommendations to Health
Canada, that it ignored when it conducted a risk assessment for the Nova
Scotia government," said Bradford Duplisea, Toxics Coordinator for the
Sierra Club of Canada. "Perhaps the MacLellan government should ask CANTOX
why one set of guidelines is good enough for Nova Scotia residents, when
they recommended a different, more comprehensive procedure for Health
Canada."
Contacts for further discussion include:
International Institute of Concern for Public Health (IICPH)
Dr. Rosalie Bertell, Tel: 1.416.260.0575, Email: IICPH@compuserve.com
Roger Dixon, Tel: 1.905.469.0948, Email: roger_dixon@csi.com
Sierra Club of Canada Elizabeth May, Executive Director Sierra Club of Canada, 1.902.562.7280 Bradford Duplisea, Toxics Coordinator Sierra Club of Canada,
1.613.241.4611
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