Sludge Watch ==> British Columbia: Pulp Mill Sludge Threatens the Environment

[Maureen Reilly]

Pulp mill sludge threatens environment


Oct 04 2007

To the Editor,

Bravo to Nanaimo city council and the Regional District of Nanaimo for 
taking steps toward environmental sanity.

Re: Going green, Sept. 18 – collecting organic waste for composting to 
reduce strain on the local landfill.

If only our provincial government would take the same tack.

B.C. Environment Minister Barry Penner recently signed an amendment to the 
Environmental Management Act giving pulp mills carte blanche to dump 
contaminated sludge on Crown lands, agricultural lands, or any private 
property where the owner agrees, and call such sludge “soil amendments.”

There will be no indication on title that contaminated waste has been dumped 
there; no possibility for future buyers or municipalities to take action 
against the companies or provincial government for any illness that could 
develop as a result of contact with these toxins.

Pulp mill sludge contains heavy metals, such as mercury, lead, arsenic (the 
U.S. Center of Disease Control’s top three neurotoxins), and pulp mills 
regularly dump these into our air, soil and water.

Does anyone believe pulp mills are going to clean up the sludge before they 
dump it on our supposedly pristine crown and agricultural lands when Mr. 
Penner just gave them carte blanche to pollute every square kilometre of 
beautiful B.C.?

With all the fuss about lead-painted pencils and toys from China being 
dangerous to children’s health, has anyone looked at the pollution mills 
have already caused and its effects on our long-term health?

Christel Martin

Nanaimo

http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=51&cat=48&id=1076665&more=0