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Modesto Bee December 13, 2000  For more information, contact:
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Groups Protest Waste Facility West Side By SUZANNE HURT BEE STAFF WRITER West Side residents and Modesto environmental activists teamed up Tuesday to protest a proposal to bring what could be the state's largest medical waste burning operation to the western edge of Stanislaus County. More than two dozen demonstrators said they don't want Integrated Environmental Systems of Oakland to contract with Ogden Martin Systems garbage incinerator at the county dump near Crows Landing. Negotiations are under way, but IES reportedly wants to burn up to 15,000 tons of waste a year here. That would be nearly double the 8,700 tons permitted yearly in Oakland, based on a figure from IES spokesman Alonza Robertson. Protesters vowed to be ready with a lawsuit if the move is OK'd and IES violates any regulations. They cited concerns over health, the environment and the local agricultural economy. "This proposal if accepted would turn Stanislaus County into the medical waste incineration capital of the state of California," said Bradley Angel, executive director of Greenaction, a community organization that is part of a coalition fighting IES in the Bay Area. Locals asked Greenaction to join them in their opposition. IES' Oakland facility is the only permitted commercial site in the state. There, about 80 percent of the waste is burned and 20 percent treated with alternative sterilization methods, said Robertson. State and federal law requires some medical waste to be burned, and many medical experts believe the only way to destroy many infectious agents is to burn them, they said. Tuesday's demonstration was held in front of 10th Street Place in Modesto, two days before a county board committee is set to discuss the issue. The Modesto City Council and state agencies also must approve the operation. "They're not going to sneak into Stanislaus County," said Steve Burke of the local group, Protect Our Water. At least six protesters were from the West Side, where people like John and Rosenda Mataka of Grayson are part of a growing effort to keep undesirable industries from locating on the West Side. The demonstrators have started passing out informational fliers on the West Side and gathering signatures from West Siders opposed to the plan. Medical waste contains mercury, and burning some medical waste emits toxic pollutants such as dioxin, said John Mataka. In addition, demonstrators don't like IES' record of violations. IES spokesman Jay Silverberg said many of IES' citations were minor and most were addressed quickly. IES has invested $5 million in the last five years to build some of the best technology to reduce the level of emissions to levels below what is permitted, he said. The Matakas contend the heavily Hispanic West Side has more than its share of waste facilities. West Siders are still recovering from the Westley tire fire. Grayson residents already have to drink bottled water due to the nitrate content of the town's water, said Rosenda Mataka. "Not only are we going to have polluted water, but we're going to have polluted air to deal with, and that's unacceptable," she said. |