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Monday , 29 January 2007 |
The Silence of the Lambs
By BOB KLEMOW
On Saturday, January 20, an article appeared in this newspaper entitled "Company can use demolition material from plant in N.J." In the article it is explained that one area of the material contains beryllium. "For beryllium in New Jersey, the Remediation Residential Direct Contact Standard is 2 parts per million. The sample contained 3 ppm. In Pennsylvania, the permit that Hazleton Creek is following allows for 320 ppm of beryllium in fill material."
I don't know if this beryllium will ever come to Hazleton, but it can under the permit. This dangerous material could come even if there were 159 times the concentration allowed in New Jersey. I don't think this 2000 cubic yards will come, since beryllium strikes fear in the hearts of many Hazletonians. How many people in Hazleton have lost family members to Berylliosis? Or maybe the Beryllium will come. It certainly is allowed in the permit.
This is my first point. The permit allows levels of many toxic materials over 100 times higher than health considerations would warrant. The permit allows over 160 times the level of beryllium that even New Jersey, that paragon of clean air and water, allows. The permit allows over 100 times the level of most heavy metals that would be allowed in any European dump. Of course, under these extremely permissive and dangerous standards, most samples will pass the testing procedure. And this is not a lined landfill. It is supposed to be an environmental project.
You do not have to be sheep. It is not preordained that you be herded by our leaders from one disaster to another until you end up on the dinner table covered with mint jelly. This is my second point. You can fight city hall. Suffer is appealing this extremely excessive permit which would allow high levels of extremely dangerous materials, like PCB's, Dioxin, Beryllium and lead to be brought to our city where our children live and breathe and drink the water. We can win, but we need your help. Hazleton needs citizens who will stand together to protect themselves and their children. Hazleton does not need sheep waiting to be covered with mint jelly.
If you want to help, you can send a donation or contact us at P.O. Box 161, Milnesville, PA. Let us stand together.
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