December 15, 2011
Clean Harbors Environmental Services
4090 Telfer Road
Corunna, ON N0N 1G0
Re: Clean Harbors Odour Issue and Environmental Testing
The Lambton Federation of Agriculture wishes to address the recent bouts of unbearable odour the neighbouring residents of Clean Harbors Lambton facility were forced to tolerate.
On the Clean Harbors website for the Lambton facility it states “At Lambton, we comply with rigorous government environmental regulations and use the best practices of our industry to ensure that hazardous materials are properly identified and responsibly handled. This series of standard operating procedures protects our employees, customers, neighbours, the public and the environment” However, the manner with which the complaints of the neighbouring residents were handled regarding the stench permeating from the Lambton facility, one would find it hard to believe that Clean Harbors is protecting its neighbours.
These recent complaints and issues have raised concern with the LFA as to the persons carrying out the environmental testing that is being performed as well as the amount and types. As the local voice for agriculture in Lambton County the LFA wishes to ensure that our industry is not threatened. The Lambton Facility is surrounded by agricultural land that is vital to the agriculture industry in Lambton County.
The LFA believes in preserving all agricultural land to ensure the future of our industry. Since the agriculture industry relies heavily on the soil and environment it is imperative that the Ministry of the Environment has a program in place that tests for contaminant content in the soil surrounding the Clean Harbors Lambton Facility. Given that the Clean Harbors hazardous waste landfill and incinerator facility is the only one of its’ kind i n Canada and that it is reasonable to assume that this facility presents its own technical and environmental challenges; is government oversight and monitoring stringent enough to ensure public and environmental safety?
As prime farmland is the foundation of a secure food supply for both current and future generations please ensure that the right actions are being taken. We do not want to jeopardize the safety of our food and soils due to contamination and oversight by either the government or Clean Harbors.
Sincerely,
~Ron MacDougall~
President, Lambton Federation of Agriculture
CC: Ministry of Environment County of Lambton
St. Clair Township