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Victory for Greenaction and Community! Read the Modesto Bee Press Coverage! Supervisors Back Away From Plan for Medical Waste  See Also:
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Medical Waste Importation & Burning Plan Defeated by Unanimous 5-0 Vote of Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors! Modesto, CA -- In a major victory for residents and Greenaction, the Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today to stop plans to import and burn medical waste at the garbage-to-energy plant near Crow's Landing. The Supervisors voted to reject funding the environmental study that would have been needed for the medical waste proposal to move forward. In the face of intense opposition to the medical waste plan from county residents and Greenaction, the Board of Supervisors brought an early end to the controversial proposal. Several supervisors acknowledged the outpouring of public opposition to the importation and incineration plan. Community and health advocates have expressed concerns importing medical waste would turn the county into a dumping ground, threatening the health, environment and economy of Stanislaus County. Incineration of medical waste results in emissions of dioxin, mercury and other highly toxic chemicals and metals. Dioxin is a known human carcinogen, and also is linked to reproductive, developmental, immunological and other health problems at very low levels of exposure. Stanislaus County officials had been in discussions with Integrated Environmental Systems (IES)/Norcal, a company that currently operates the state's only commercial medical waste incinerator in Oakland. IES's Oakland incinerator is under fire from outraged residents concerned about toxic emissions and repeat and ongoing permit violations, and the facility is facing a possible permit denial from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. IES had hoped the proposed Stanislaus County location would face less opposition - but they were wrong. Residents also expressed concern about the county plan to expand the solid waste landfill to accept garbage from around the state, and to keep dumping on the predominantly low-income Latino west side. "This is a victory for all Stanislaus County residents," said John Mataka of the Grayson Neighborhood Council. " This victory was possible because residents banded together in a grassroots effort, taking time out of their daily lives and getting involved. This is just the beginning and we will continue to monitor our public officials to make sure they protect our interests, especially our health. Our community is not a dumping ground" "This important victory will protect the health, environment and agricultural economy of Stanislaus County," said Bradley Angel, Executive Director of Greenaction. "No amount of dioxin is safe, and we are proud to have helped the community stop this new toxic threat." | ||||||||||||||||