Signs of the Times #6

If the Region of Durham incineration project in Clarington is approved, and we all know how biased and incomplete the so-called "studies" have been, someday in the future we can be sure that the present Regional Chair and Regional Councillors will be held responsible for the increase in cancers and respiratory problems as well as many other consequences, beyond what the rates are today. We already have some of the worst air quality in the Province. They don't mind making it worse.

They may not be held accountable or legally responsible in the courts (although that will remain to be seen), but certainly at the very least in the court of public opinion they will be. And mark my words, people won't forget and won't forget WHO was responsible for it. There are plenty of residents who will remind them.

There is an incredible amount of documentation from various authoritative and credible sources such as medical and scientific journals so that there is no excuse for them to still be sitting on the fence saying, "We want to be sure it is safe". Why is it that everyone else knows that the Precautionary Principle should be applied here, but the majority of the politicians are ignoring that fact.

Any credible level of government would always employ the precautionary principle, but for some reason, our governments seem more than willing to ignore it and plow ahead, even at the peril of its own residents. Repeated requests by residents to consider other (better) alternatives have gone unheeded.

Are they blind (can't see the documentation showing the high risk with MSW incinerators)? Or deaf (they can't or won't hear the pleas of their own residents, their own constituents)? Or are they just plain dumb? That remains to be seen.

Signs of the Times #5

Dioxins, furans, and other toxins accumulate on our lands and waters. They enter the food chain and when animals eat contaminated plants and sediments, they get concentrated in their fat and pass it on in dairy and meat products. What are the implications for our locally produced food and our farm community? In Europe, meat, dairy and eggs must be regularly tested for dioxin and dioxin-like PCBs. We have no such regulations in Ontario. There are no plans by Durham Region consultants to do any baseline testing of local livestock. Why is it important in Europe, where they have a lot of incinerators and where much of the pro-incinerator information comes from (industry related), but it's not deemed to be important here in Durham Region.

Durham Region and Clarington in particular is a heavily agricultural area. They should be protecting agriculture in the region, including livestock operations, but have ignored expert studies and peer review literature which explains the risks and already proven effects on the food chain. But the Durham Region Agricultural Advisory Committee along with Regional Council are ignoring the studies and facts that point to these high risks. Why?

Building this incinerator could easily cause residents to no longer "buy local". For some it won't matter much, but for others, especially those with children, it should matter and will matter. I'm sure local activists will make a big stink about contamination of livestock and produce and people will begin to think twice. As well they should.

My apology for stealing this photo, but I couldn't resist. It is another sign of the times.

Signs of the Times #4

We have Durham Region along with our Clarington Mayor and Regional Councillors to thank for this. They have pushed and pushed to "move along" the studies being done for the EA, without even taking the time to read or comprehend the results of prior studies, or question the validity of some of the extremely questionable results. The most important thing in their minds is to get this finished as quickly as possible. Speed, not accuracy. Push it though fast enough and maybe the people won't notice.

They choose to believe their paid consultants. These consultants, conducting the studies, were hired to promote the incinerator and to get it approved by the province. Unbiased? Not a chance. They do what their employers ask them to do - it's the nature of the business. And the Pr0vince? Are we to trust them to protect our health when they have already stated their support of incineration in Ontario?

Some people stand to make a lot of money on this deal. The residents are not among them. And we will suffer the consequences such as increased traffic, increased air pollution, locally grown food contamination (especially livestock), increased asthma rates (already the 2nd highest in Ontario), increased birth defects and increased cancers. All so that someone can say, "Look at us! We're taking care of our garbage!" A "Made in Durham Solution".

Except for the toxins which will spread beyond Durham Region's borders. Except for the highly toxic fly ash which will be trucked to Sarnia or elsewhere to be landfilled in a hazardous waste site. Except for the bottom ash, which they're not talking about. No one will say where that will go. Maybe they'll stick it in the Brock landfill so they can keep it in Durham? They need those votes to pass this sucker of a project so they're not going to say they'll keep that stuff in Durham or give it to the residents of the west end of the Region. Not until it's a completely done deal (and it's getting close).

There are far too many questions that have not been answered. Questions that have been asked by residents but not answered. Questions that were supposed to be answered at each milestone step of this project but were not answered. Plenty of questions but few answers. Plenty of justifications though.

Signs of the Times #3

No explanation is necessary. Our intrepid Regional Council is looking more and more foolish as other municipalities and regions around the world are rejecting incineration for more modern, more inventive solutions. The Region's refrain that the Province won't do enough doesn't hold water (but holds lots of smoke and mirrors). Our Region is not officially lobbying the Province for EPR or other helpful solutions. They would rather complain that the only way to get rid of our "garbage" is to burn it.

They can't seem to realize that most of it is not "garbage", but resources, and they prefer to burn our resources, contribute more to greenhouse gasses and our local air pollution, and risk our health and the future health of our children in so many insidious ways. They appear to have no imagination and are not willing to consider healthier, less costly, more viable alternatives.

Does that make them look foolish? We think it does.