A8 - Sunday News, January 10, 1982 FROM PAGE At1 Head of the municipal section of the provincial Waste Management Branch, Ernie Lawson, says that awarding a pollution control permit for the final ex- pansion area of the landfill, crucial to the overall plan, will likely be considerably more than the mere for- mality which municipal leaders consider it to be. “It may be a little mare- difficult than they think,” he comments, adding that public concerns would be considered with the ap- plication. And complaints nearby residents are so frequent that in recent months Waste Management officers have visited the Premier Street Landfill more than any other permit site in the entire Lower Mainland area. “Many people in North Vancouver know our phone number very well and when something happens they are on the line almost im- mediately,” Lawson says. “In many cases they do have legitimate concerns. Most of the calls we have received are justified.” It was from one of these caljs that Lawson first heard of the Halloween Day flooding which caused a huge section of the landfill to collapse into Lynn Creek, filling the waters with years of accumulated garbage. A resident was quick enough to inform him before municipal crews had even arrived at the site. Federal Fisheries Officer Floyd McKee finds the same degree of public in- volvement in his work. He polices waterways in an area from the north arm of the Fraser to Port Moody and to Howe Sound and says: “As far as pollution is concerned, it seems North Vancouver has been the main focal point this past year.” The volume of calls he receives from North Van adds to his work load considerably, but also to his effectiveness. He says ¢n- vironment concerns here are being monitored by the cyes of an entire community. “The amount of public support you receive in North Van is quite considerable You have many eyes look ing out for you and it helps a lot and you are aware of what ts going on and can go out and check all these things from “Without them we would simply be a force of four people but in North Van we have the force of all these eyes watching for us. You just can't compare the ef- fectiveness, without people watching out for you.” Public input is largely responsible for the list of pollution charges facing North Van District, which are scheduled to be heard in provincial court. Seven charges alleging that leachate from the landfill was allowed to enter Lynn Creek on dates bet- ween January 1980 and July 1981 and a further charge that District polluted the creek when working on a new leachate collection system there will be heard at a three day trial which opens in North Van provincial court tomorrow (Monday). February 2-3 has been set aside for two charges against the District as a result of a breakdown at a sewage pump on Ross Road, which is said to have pumped sewage into Hastings Creek and to have led to the killing of fish. A charge against Western Stevedoring brought after a -Lynnterm worker com- plained of 2,000 gallons of used pentachloraphenol (PCP) wood preserver being dumped there August 6 on a paved area which drains into Lynn Creek and Burrard Inlet, is set for trial on March 22. But the same local originally from Montreal, has become one of the North Shore’s top stylists over the past two years. for your next appointment drop in and see Jean Paul at his new location studio shop & gallery ANNUAL SALE KOSTA-PIPI KOSTA- MAMBO KOSTA-CALYPSO JEANPAUL, 1730 Marine Dr. West Vancouver residents who have been instrumental in charges being laid are wondering about the priorities of government environmental agencies. They point to the charges as indication that there is more concern for the interests of fish than of humans. To date, not a single pollution charge has been brought in instances where there is no evidence of harm to fish. As consolation, En- vironment Protection Service (EPS) Waste Management Group Program Officer Gordon Thompson maintains: “If you can secure the en- vironment adequately to protect fish then you are securing human beings.” Charges brought in North Vancouver have so far been a lone battle by Fisheries Officer McKee. However, McKee can only initiate charges when there is evidence that pollution is affecting fish habitats. The diligent) young fisheries officer has in- Stigated legal proceedings whenever he has considered them justified. He would like to have been able to have charges laid as a result of the May dumping of a tanker truck load of sludge con- taining elevated levels of chromium and other heavy metals from the Maplewood paper chemical manufac- turing plant of ERCO. But Fisheries decided not to HAIR DESIGN LTD. UNISEX 926-6910 JANUARY 11-23 GLASS WAKE 20% - 50% oft MOST MERCHANDISE 2436 Marine Drive, West Van Dundarave 922-1136 Focal point for pollution prosecute because of un- certainties about being able to prove the sludge had entered the creek, even though it was considered highly likly. In that case, such a prosecution would have needed to be brought by Waste Management. And although the facts that the material dumped was toxic, that it originated from ERCO and that the dumping contravened the pollution control permit for the CONTINUED ON PAGE Al} Finest Name Brand Mattress Sets Minimum 30-50% Off closed Wednesdays daily from 9-5 Sunday i2-4 Nir. Mattress Ltd. 842 W. 15th, North Van. Oft Fell just north of Marine 980-6715 ANNOUNCEMENT Dr. T. Sadro Announces the opening of Physician and Surgeon Practice at the new address of 103-1258 Lynn Valley Rd., N.V. To arrange appointment: Call: 988-4445 Tired of listening te the sam January 30! Fine oak and mahogany dining suites. _ pine chests now their prices are reduced by Silver stained glass windows bentwood chairs 18%! 13%! 28%! is marked down by copper, brass and china a> much as 50 O off! 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