|
Published: November 08, 2007 09:58 pm
ENVIRONMENT: CWM addresses radiation concerns
Discussion turns to walkover survey CWM is conducting at the site
By Dan Miner/minerd@gnnewspaper.com
Niagara Gazette
Radioactivity is all around us.
That was the main message at a meeting Thursday night at CWM Chemical Services, the Town of Porter hazardous waste landfill currently surveying its property for radioactive materials.
The meeting was a response to concerns in the community about radiation exposure to people who work at the site, said Lori Caso, a CWM spokesperson.
Among the most significant forms of radiation humans receive per year are naturally occurring radon, medical X-rays, the food we eat and radiation from space, said Dr. Mike Ryan, a longtime CWM consultant and editor-in-chief of Health Physics journal. It’s also regulated by states, the federal Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the federal Environmental Protection Agency.
As the nearly two-hour presentation concluded, discussion turned to CWM’s site survey and officials from the landfill responded to questions about that survey’s scope and effectiveness.
CWM employees are walking up and down the roughly 400 acres of the site which have industrial zoning — including the section in which CWM has applied to expand its landfill operations — measuring to see if there are radioactive materials within the first six inches of the ground, said Jill Banaszak, the site’s technical manager.
A number of spots were found to have elevated levels of radiation, but so far those have only been rocks which are considered safe enough to double-bag and Federal Express to a lab, said A. Hunt Thornhill of URS Corp., the worldwide engineering firm hired by CWM to make sure its practices are safe.
In the coming weeks and months, more spots which have been found with elevated radiation levels will be investigated, and results will start to come back from the lab as to the rocks which have been identified, Thornhill said.
“We have seen no sign of contamination at all through our sampling program,” he said.
CWM officials also answered other questions of concern, including those posed recently by members of the Citizens Advisory Committee which acts as a community liaison to the company that there is no testing for plutonium. Remains from experiments involving plutonium in the 1940s and ’50s at the University of Rochester could be in the landfill, CAC members have said.
Banaszak said a section of the site did have items buried from the university, but they had been cleaned in 2001 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The central drainage ditch, which is not part of the site survey plans, is not being tested because it is outside the scope of landfill operations and is not used by the landfill, Banaszak said. CAC members have publicly wondered why the ditch isn’t being tested.
About six members of the interested public, not including reporters and CWM officials, attended the meeting. None of them were from the CAC. Amy Witryol, a vocal critic of CWM, was not in attendance. She’s said in the past that she will not attend meetings at the site because of concerns about the hazardous wastes buried there.
Similarly, no officials from CWM were at the last CAC meeting.
|
|
|
|
 |
Housekeeping Aide
Housekeeping Aide. Day shift. Must be able to work a flexible schedule to include some week-ends and holidays. Dependabl...>MORE
Packers
PACKERS NEEDED Apply Wed 7/1/09 or Wed 7/8/09, 9-11am, DOL, 81 Walnut St, Lkpt Durham Staffing 283-2275...>MORE
Homecare
PALLIATIVE HOME CARE of Niagara is now hiring Homemakers. Please apply at 2186 Liberty Dr., Niagara Falls, NY 14304 or 4...>MORE
Nurses
NURSES RNs & LPNs
We have assignments available in home care & staffing. Interim Health Care...>MORE
Truck Driver
TRUCK DRIVER: Local /OTR 200 mile radius. Must have dump trailer experience. 867-4663...>MORE
LPNS
LPNS, Certifid HHA's and Certified PCA/s needed. Several shifts available. Full and part time hours. Must be able to wor...>MORE
CLEANERS
Housekeeping, Summer/ permanent help, p/t-4 day work wk, no w/e, bonuses, car nec. 694-2810 ...>MORE
Cook
COOKS, Servers, part time. Apply within Joe’s Hideaway, 2230 Cayuga Dr. Ext., Whtfld 990-1261...>MORE
Housekeeping Aide
Housekeeping Aide. Day shift. Must be able to work a flexible schedule to include some week-ends and holidays. Dependabl...>MORE
Siding Installer
SIDING Installer, light construction. Pay based on exp. Will train. Must have transp. 434-3430...>MORE
See all ads |
2000 Chevy S-10
CHEVY 2000 S-10 pick up, 2.2L, 5 spd, ext cab, EC in & out, CD, cold AC, great gas mi. $2750. 523-7102...>MORE
1990 Chevy 2500
1990 CHEVY 2500 pick up, fresh paint, 160k mi, good runner, 4WD, ext cab, $2500, 716-572-9153...>MORE
Olds 2001 Intrigue
Olds 2001 Intrigue, 130k runs great, leather, sun roof clean inside/out. $3000or BO. 628-6295...>MORE
Mercury Cougar 1994
Mercury Cougar 1994 $2000 or best offer. Good condition, 60K original miles. 552-2844...>MORE
Ford 1999 150
FORD 1999 150 pickup, good cond., tool box, bedliner, standard, $2500 or BO. 523-3653...>MORE
Dodge 2001 SLt
‘O1 DODGE SLT, 8’ bed, cap, spray line, low miles. Never seen winters, $7,300. 998-0230...>MORE
1950 Plymouth Custom
PLYMOUTH 1950 Custom, 4 dr, good shape, $1,500/BO. 795-0074...>MORE
1994 Buick Roadmaster Estate Wagon
BUICK 1994 Roadmaster Estate Wagon, V8, 130k, fair condition, 1 owner. $2800 or BO. 297-1061....>MORE
1997 Ford Taurus GL
FORD 1997 Taurus GL, good condition, cold A/C, cruise, 1 owner, white. $1995 or BO. 990-6187....>MORE
Cashiers
CASHIERS - Looking for cashiers for convenience store in Wrights Corners. Call 689-0600 ext. 31. ...>MORE
See all ads |
|
See all ads |
|
 |
|