Once again the general public is confronted with one-sided reporting. The article written by Shannon Moneo (WP, Feb. 3 issue), out of Victoria, regarding slaughterhouse waste composting is so blatantly biased and lacking in facts representing both sides of the issue it’s embarrassing.
The fact that the article states “1,300 tonnes of specified risk material are expected to be composted annually at Spa Hills Farm” just goes to show the complete lack of knowledge or concern regarding this subject.
1) The designer of this composter is quoted as saying we are not ready for this type of facility because the regulations (OMRR &MOE) are not being enforced. And this same company, Transform Compost Systems is in deep trouble in Welland, Ont., having been shut down several times for odour complaints akin to rotting corpses or a strong vomit smell, and that facility is only composting Municipal Waste.
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2) Rainer Farms in Darfield has spent over two years trying to obtain Class A compost, and Mitchell insists he can accomplish this in a mere six weeks.
3) The government of B.C. has stated in its regulations that this type of facility should not be located in or near a community and when asked why it would not be placed on crown land, their answer was “This type of composting is not proven.”
So it appears our government would prefer to put the people of rural B.C. at risk rather than contaminate crown land.
4 ) Infectious prions are not destroyed by composting and become more infectious in some types of soil. Recent research has also stated that prions may also be transferred by the air.
If any infectious prions are present in Mitchell’s compost and he fertilizes his fields with it the crops he grows will be infected and passed on. Prions will cause Mad Cow Disease in cattle, scrapies in sheep and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disorder in humans. There is no cure.
5) This community fought against this type of facility for three years yet Mitchell will have the readers believe very few are against this facility.
Given the size of Silver Creek one would have to agree that 150 signatures against this facility is a large percentage. No one disputes the need for something to be done with slaughterhouse waste but what is disputed is the location.
The Ministry of Environment (MOE) has informed us, those concerned about this facility, that if we have any concerns we should direct those to Mr. Mitchell and not to the MOE.
The government seems relieved to finally have this monkey off its back and damn the consequences to those affected.
The general public has a right to know the truth and all the facts regarding this type of facility and not the drivel the newspapers continue to feed them.
One may feel very safe being miles away from this facility but ask yourselves, what if prions get into the watershed? What will that mean for all of us? Once prions contaminate air or water there is no getting them back.
Many people get their drinking water from natural sources. Many people have cattle that drink from streams. What if?
Jayne Aulis,Westwold, B.C.
