Wilson Plain
For those out in Facebook land who don’t know how close Aamjiwnaang is to sources of pollution – check this photo out
On the North side of the Aamjiwnaang Admin Bldg. Prevailing winds are from the Northwest in the Winter.
Posted in Photos
Toban Black on the Media Co-op
“Clean Harbors”
In this audio interview, Zak Nicholls (of S.H.A.M.E.) mainly speaks about:
– Responding to pollution around the “Clean Harbors” hazardous waste facility
– Collaborating with residents of Marine City, Michigan — where there is a Wilms tumor cluster
– The latest problems with ESSO / Imperial Oil
This interview is posted here.
A “Wipe Out Wilms” t-shirt
He also mentions:
– The World Health Organization (WHO)’s findings that Sarnia has the worst particulate pollution in Canada
– TODA’s water pollution
– The now inactive, and possibly dead, Lambton Community Health Study
– Free toxic tours around Chemical Valley
This interview follows up another one in which Zak gives updates about how shale gas will be or might be used around Sarnia-Lambton’s Chemical Valley.
Many of these topics had come up in conversation; we then decided to to record some of what Zak has to say about the situations around where he lives.
The ESSO plant — photographed from Michigan
Dallas Sinopole
Nova chemical release at 12:21…….shit we have to live with!! WTH!!!
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Toban Black on the Media Co-op
Audio interviews with…
They speak about Canadian asbestos exports, victims of asbestos exposure, a history of asbestos around Sarnia-Lambton’s Chemical Valley, and other related topics.
(Note: I would have spoken with other speakers from the rally if it wasn’t so windy afterwards.)
These photos are from the rally before the Walk to Remember the Victims of Asbestos, on October 1st –
We also had the first and last of those banners up at the September 30th Candle Light Vigil to Honor the Victims of Asbestos
This is the facility where “Clean Harbors” handles petro-chemical wastes from other industries around this area of Lambton county –
The company that likes to be known as “Clean Harbors” burns toxic wastes at this location. As they say on their web site, they incinerate “hazardous waste” that comes to them “in liquid form.”
This company also points out how “the Lambton Facility is the only licensed, integrated hazardous waste management facility within Ontario. In fact, due to the high capital investment and specialized operating requirements … , there are relatively few, comparable facilities in North America.” The other Chemical Valley industries around Sarnia-Lambton have plenty of hazardous waste to get rid of, so “Clean Harbors” also buries wastes underground. And they take in waste from other industries as well.
Posted in Photos
Zak Nicholls
The below picture is what Ole’Smokey Hole (OSH) looks like on a bad day. This stack is attached to the coker unit at ESSO. It is one of the 350 foot concrete stacks that most remarkably make up the ESSO skyline. OSH is the most southerly of the six stacks, located closest to ESSO gate 216.
The day the picture was taken was the day of a coker unit fire. This is the result of a coker unit fire. There were no charges/fines affixed by the MOE to this release. ESSO is expected to investigate themselves when events like this occur, and the MOE will almost always accept whatever findings that ESSO comes up with. This is standard protocol between the MOE and industry. My guess is that ESSO never even submitted an investigation regarding this fire, and that the MOE was okay with that. Whenever we have tried to follow up with investigations/reports, we are always informed that one hasn’t been submitted yet, OR that the investigation/report concludes that whatever did occur, there was No Off-Site Impact.
The plume cloud you see in this picture collapsing in the general direction of Aamjiwnaang was considered to have No Off Site Impact.
Plume clouds happen more often in a slow accumulating process, rather that in the dramatic fashion as seen above. We witnessed one less than two weeks ago, and it was part of the nearly two week complaint I’ve filed against ESSO with the MOE. I called in part 3 of that complaint this afternoon. Continue reading
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Brian White
Thousands of families in Sarnia-Lambton know first-hand the tragic outcomes of working with asbestos. Despite this, the riding voted in the recent Federal Election 52% in favour of the party that supports this industry. It’s clear more education is needed. Go to CanadaCausesCancer.com. I also have a facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Canadas-Asbestos-Exports/172490709448726
Me arriving to tape the petition document and the asbestos to Conservative MP Pat Davidson’s office.
Using the same high-standard breathing apparatus used by our brothers in the countries we are for some reason okay with processing this stuff.
Sarnia is ground zero for asbestos deaths in Canada. Despite claims that she is finally opposed to this export, Davidson still represents the PM, along with the Party who absolutely, in-your-face, supports this industry.
Posted in Photos
Toban Black on the Media Co-op
At the end of May, some of us gathered for a “Don’t frack with us!” protest in London, Ontario.
The rally call-out said –
Fracking is a toxic, dangerous, and wasteful form of natural gas extraction that we may see around London, Ontario. The water pollution is the worst of the fracking impacts. Tap water has become flammable after fracking is done to break gas out of nearby shale rock. A stew of toxic chemicals is pumped into each gas well, and radium is one of many underground substances that can be unintentionally released during this extraction.
A slideshow of photos from the “Don’t frack with us!” rally in London, Ontario. We brought the anti-fracking banners that were out at the rally.
S. H. A. M. E. 