Despite repeated requests from residents, the federal and provincial governments decided it wasn’t necessary to conduct SS work under an enclosure with air filters to protect the neighborhoods adjacent to the tar ponds site. Governments and consultants assured us that by using water and foam they could control the toxic emissions and dust which result from mixing dry cement powder with hazardous waste in the tar ponds, which contain 700,000 tonnes of sludge contaminated with PAHs, PCBs, heavy metals, VOCs, etc. Obviously they can’t do as promised because the stench leaving the site into the surrounding community is overpowering, along with clouds of dust. When we took this picture on Easter Monday, 2010, we were across the street from the grocery store and the local mall. Homes are located on the other side of the black pipe and fence on the left side of this picture, which is the west side of the Tar Ponds. Real time air monitors located around the site detected none of these emissions.
This picture was taken on a different day. Obviously dust control hasn’t improved. In fact, every day they carry out SS work, this is what we see. Delivering the cement in a slurry (mixed with water) rather than a powder would certainly eliminate the cement dust issue. The homes in the background of this picture are on the east side of the South Tar Pond.
The horrible stench coming from this site, whether they’re working on it or not, is with us 24-7, now that this site has been disturbed. The only relief residents get is when the wind changes direction, and then another area of the community is affected.
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