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CANADA: TOXIC TRAVEL FEARS

by Nova Pierson, Calgary Sun

CALGARY, Canada, 17 January 2000 -- More than 200 truckloads of U.S. toxic waste being treated in Alberta could soon be cutting a path through Calgary on the Deerfoot Tr. And environmentalists and a city alderman say they hope guidelines are enough to prevent a disaster on Alberta's dangerous-goods route to Swan Hills, 500 km northwest of Calgary. "It could cause a tremendous health hazard if you had a truckload of (persistent organic chemicals) or PCBs go down," said Margaret Chandler, editor of Alberta environmental magazine Encompass.

HUGE DISASTER POTENTIAL

"It could be an absolute disaster." Bovar Inc.'s Swan Hills Treatment Centre is finalizing contracts and permits. It should be ready to ship persistent organic pollutants (POPs) like DDT and other pesticides from the Pacific Northwest by late March. It's the first time toxic waste will have been imported from other countries for destruction. Bovar has also been given government approval to treat PCBs and other chemicals from other countries.

This year, Bovar expects to burn 3,000 to 5, 000 tonnes -- up to 250 truckloads - - of foreign toxic waste at its facility once they get the permits, said president John Kuziak. "We cannot afford to have an incident on the roads. That would really cause people to be concerned, so we take very careful precautions," Kuziak said.

Kuziak said the additional waste -- about one-tenth of the plant's capacity -- will help sustain the plant while Canadian and Alberta waste volume drops. "This is a global community thing," Kuziak said of hazardous waste. "The POPs don't stop at the Alberta border.

They get wafted all over the globe. "We think we provide a good solution to that by destroying these."

But in light of the facility's often-maligned past -- last year it paid the highest Alberta fine, $ 625,000 for a 1996 airborne leak -- an alderman hopes the province is extremely vigilant in its permitting.

"I'm quite aware (guidelines) are very strict, but they have to be checking, " said Ald. Dale Hodges.

COMPLIANCE QUESTION

"We've got all the rules anybody wants to know about; it's a question of who's complying."

According to Toxic Watch, POPs resist environmental breakdown, and are thought to disrupt reproduction and development.

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