Eisenhower Launches "Toxic Tom" Website (PA, D for Atty Gen.)

[rabid_nerd]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
      CONTACT:

October 27, 2004
                           Nicholas Pullen

                                           215-545-0224

Eisenhower Launches “Toxic Tom” Website to Educate Voters About Corbett’s
Record of Defending Polluters

Waste Management Fined Millions of Dollars When Corbett was Senior Executive

PHILADELPHIA: Democratic Attorney General nominee Jim Eisenhower today
announced the launch of a new campaign website detailing the record of his
Republican opponent Tom Corbett defending Waste Management, Inc. (WMI), the
largest importer of trash into Pennsylvania, during his tenure as a senior
executive at the company.  The release of the new “Toxic Tom” website
(www.toxictom.net) comes days after Corbett began running negative ads
attacking Eisenhower and distorting his record.

           During Corbett’s time at WMI, the firm was repeatedly fined for
environmental and safety violations – totaling millions of dollars --
including the illegal dumping of hazardous medical waste.  Corbett has also
received contributions from the trash giant in his Attorney General’s
campaign.

           The new website allows voters to see exactly where WMI was
caught polluting while Corbett was there.  Violations occurred across the
commonwealth.  Voters can click on a garbage pail to see the details of the
violation and the fine WMI paid.

           The highlights of Corbett’s tenure at WMI – and his record of
vociferously defending them against infractions – include:

o       Waste Management racked up at least $3.7 million in fines while
Corbett was there.  During Corbett’s four year tenure at Waste Management,
the company and its subsidiaries were fined more than $3.7 million for
various violations at its landfills.

o       Waste Management found to have the most unsafe trucks of any company
on the road in “Operation Clean Sweep”.  In May 2001, the Pennsylvania State
Police and Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) ran a
week-long campaign to crack down on unsafe and environmentally unsound trash
trucks.  Of more than 40,000 inspected trucks, the state found more than
11,000 safety and environmental violations.  The biggest violator -- and the
region’s biggest waste hauler -- was Waste Management Inc., with 339
environmental violations and 554 safety violations.  The DEP said as much as
65 percent of the Waste Management truck fleet was put off the road for
repairs.

o       Waste Management caught illegally dumping medical waste.  On the
first day of “Operation Clean Sweep’, a trailer truck owned by Kephart
Trucking was stopped for a safety inspection by state police at the
Mifflinville rest area on Interstate 80 in Columbia County.  Police noticed
a reddish substance leaking from the trailer, opened it and discovered
medical waste hidden under a thin layer of municipal waste. The hospital
waste -- which included syringes, bedpans and wound dressings -- had been
picked up by Kephart at a Waste Management Inc. transfer station in the
Bronx and was headed to Shade Landfill in Central City, Somerset County.
That landfill was not permitted to accept raw, unprocessed medical waste.

o       Corbett tried to fight Republican Governor Ridge’s attempts to limit
the nation’s wastehaulers.  When Republican Governor Tom Ridge attempted to
limit the amount of waste coming to Pennsylvania, Corbett – who Ridge had
appointed as chair of PCCD (a post he still held) and as interim-Attorney
General – fought him.

[Joy Anne]

1. good for him!

I know all about this, but most voters don't. BTW, Waste Management used to be a Mafia-controlled company. Is it still?

[durablend]

2. Waste Management...bunch of dirtbags

I don't know about the inside operations, but the haulers themselves are assholes. Last winter it wasn't unusual for them to not show up in the area for 2 or 3 WEEKS to pick up garbage (everyone pays individually), and they got really POed when I dumped them for another company. Apparently another bunch of Bushites that don't appreciate it when you don't kiss their feet. Nowadays they come on schedule (neighbors that still use them) but it's like a Walmart operation...empty the trash into the truck and toss the garbage cans wherever they want (bushes, lawn, etc.). The local company we use is LIGHTYEARS better than they ever were (and the price is about the same)