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Community Alert!
Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors: (831) 454-2200 jeff.almquist@co.santa-cruz.ca.us Monterey
County Supervisor Louis Calcagno (831) 755-5022 Letter to the Santa Cruz Department of Public Works Read about British study: Living near incinerator may up birth defect risk. Read Press Release and Santa Cruz Sentinel stories: Trash-to-energy plan draws heat and Incinerator foes to refuel effort, as well as Monterey Herald story: Incinerator sparks debate For more information, contact:
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Stop the Incinerator Plan! The Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors recently voted to study a proposal from American Ref-Fuel to build a giant waste to energy garbage incinerator to burn waste from several counties. One possible location being discussed is Moss Landing in Monterey County, next to the Duke Energy site. The Supervisors also want other incinerator companies to submit proposals, a terrible decision that makes local communities a target for companies pushing this dangerous technology. American Ref-Fuel’s public relations boasts they can generate electricity from the burning of garbage – but they omit critical facts: incineration emits highly toxic pollution and is not safe. Burning Waste = Poisons In Our Air Incineration produces both toxic air emissions and toxic ash residue. Burning garbage containing chlorine (for example, PVC plastics & household cleaners) results in the creation and emission of dioxin, one of the most toxic chemicals known to science. In addition, metals in garbage cannot be destroyed at all, and they end up in the air and in the ash that goes to our landfills. No Amount of Dioxin Exposure Is Safe Dioxin can cause health problems including cancer, birth defects, hormonal changes, declining sperm counts, infertility, endometriosis, immune system impairment, and diabetes, as well as damage to the liver, spleen, bone marrow and skin. We already have too much dioxin in our bodies, and no exposure to even small amounts is acceptable. Danger to Children Children are at greatest danger from the pollutants spewed into the air by incinerators. Kids breathe more air and eat more food per unit of body measurement, and since they are still growing, their cells are more vulnerable to damage from chemical exposure. Dioxin Danger to Agricultural Industry Scientific studies by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency confirm that a main pathway for dioxin exposure is through the food chain. Do we want locally grown food contaminated with dioxin from an incinerator, threatening public health and this important local industry. BAN THE BURN! PROTECT OUR HEALTH & ENVIRONMENT |