EPA told to rethink import of PCBs

[douglas9]

Source: Houston Chronicle

EPA told to rethink import of PCBs
Lawmakers blast plan to burn Mexico's toxics in Port Arthur

The congressional committee responsible for the Environmental Protection Agency is challenging a proposal that would allow the operator of a Port Arthur incinerator to import toxic waste from Mexico for disposal.

In a letter to the EPA on Monday, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce told the federal agency's chief administrator that the proposed approval of Veolia Environmental Services' petition would "effectively create an open border" for other countries' PCBs to be disposed of in the United States.

The confrontation comes nearly 30 years after legislation that banned the manufacture of PCBs, or polychlorinated biphenyls, also prohibited bringing them into the country. Veolia has proposed importing up to 20,000 tons of the chemical compound from Mexico for incineration, and the EPA has indicated it would approve the plan.

The committee's leadership raised several issues with the proposal, including the risk to residents of the Gulf Coast refinery town and surrounding Jefferson County, the availability of alternative disposal methods and the plant's safety record.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/5900357.html

[MJJP21]

1. I would

I would rather it be disposed of here properly than have Mexico dispose of it any way they can. From the article it states that incineration is the accepted way to dispose of it and that destroys 99% with the rest going to the ocean. At present they are sending it to Europe which I believe is more stringent than we are at disposal of hazardous waste. In this case if its good enough for the Europeans it should be good enough for us.

[crikkett]

3. The problem is that you can't assume it would be disposed of properly here

not anymore. Could you ever?

And toxic garbage doesn't have to be good enough for us. Really it doesn't.

[patrice]

2. This is what we've come to. Importing the world's poisonous trash to make a buck.

:cry:

[DCKit]

4. What goes around....

I'm far more concerned with the prospect of an accidental spill. PCBs are forever.

That American company needs to build an incinerator IN MEXICO.

[xyouth]

5. PCBs another gift from our friends at Monsanto