Tembec has money

[Former Employee]

Tembec and the MOE reach an agreement for Marathon Pulp's chemical cleanup
Dec 3, 2009 | In Environmental News | 2 feedbacks »

The Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE), and Tembec, have reached an agreement over the clean-up of chemicals left at the closed Marathon Pulp mill.

The MOE will allow Tembec (former owner of the mill) to proceed with the plan to discharge three million litres of chemical waste, known as black or green gold, into an approved on-site spill basin.

Strict conditions will be enforced over the chemical discharge process. Spill kits must be on site, additional inspections will be performed, and a $75,000 contingency fund will be supplied by Tembec.

The MOE says its scientific and technical experts are comfortable that the spill basin is secure, and that the general public and Lake Superior will not be impacted.

Marathon Pulp has been closed since March.

[Erin Foley]

This is outragous !!! Up until a few weeks ago, the MOE has stated that it is too dangerous and unsafe for Tembec to dump their left over liqours into this basin.
The MOE signed a contract with Tembec saying the liqours had to be removed off Mill property as soon as possible and that the spill basin would only be used in the case of an emergency.
By signing this paper, the MOE ALLOWED Tembec to create an emergency..... Tembec knew the whether in this town would drop low enough, for long enough, to freeze the pipes and have the liqours spill..... This being said .... turn the heat off in the mill and you are now left with an emergency.
Tembec got away with not moving their liquors out, and not paying a hydro bill and the MOE has no choice now but to let them dump it into our basin because there is now an emergency..... Way to go MOE.
The spill basin in Marathon is not even working and is frozen. Its not running at all and therefore any material dumped will sit until it is no longer frozen come spring time. There is no one that has been hired to keep a watch over the spill basin until Tembec comes back to clean it up .... If they come back. Therefore, if the freezing temperatures rupture the walls or sealants in the basin and it leaks or spills..... It will end up in Lake Superior and no one will know about it until it is far too late.
Further more, Tembec has only been told to do tests once every 12 months in search of leaks and spills. If they dump this tomorrow.... let it freeze... and two months from now there is a leak.... no one will know until next December.
They plan to fill tanks and haul the liquors through town. Fill the tanks and haul them out of town. Turn your truck on and keep on going.