Once again, Olin Corp.
’s actions don’t match its words. “We take our commitment as an
environmentally responsible company and a good neighbor very
seriously,” Olin spokesman Rick McClure said shortly after the
perchlorate groundwater contamination caused by the company’s
now-closed Morgan Hill road flare facto
ry was discovered.
Once again, Olin Corp.’s actions don’t match its words.
“We take our commitment as an environmentally responsible company and a good neighbor very seriously,” Olin spokesman Rick McClure said shortly after the perchlorate groundwater contamination caused by the company’s now-closed Morgan Hill road flare factory was discovered.
If that’s true, then we fail to understand how Olin officials can possibly justify appealing a state water board order that requires they supply water to South Valley well owners whose wells have tested between 4 and 6 parts of perchlorate per billion.
Yes, we know that the California Department of Health Services in March established a public health goal of 6 ppb for perchlorate. Four ppb is the lowest level at which perchlorate can be detected and the level at which the City of Morgan Hill shuts down its wells.
Given that there’s seasonal fluctuation in test results of perchlorate-contaminated wells, that there’s a 20 percent margin of error in perchlorate tests and that there’s widespread disagreement over what level of perchlorate is safe, of course Olin should be required to deliver bottled water to wells testing between 4 and 6 ppb for perchlorate. And it ought to be delivered to any well owner with the smallest trace of perchlorate contamination. In fact, Olin ought to be required to install perchlorate-removing filters on every contaminated well in South Valley.
Of course, this point would be moot if the federal government (that is, the Environmental Protection Agency) would establish a maximum safety level for perchlorate in water. But the Bush Administration’s EPA, bowing to defense industry pressure, refuses to establish such a level, creating an unacceptable and irresponsible perchlorate (which also is a key ingredient in rock fuel) information vacuum.
Doctors have known since the 1950s that perchlorate damages thyroid function and water regulators have been worried about the chemical polluting the groundwater. Yet, despite decades to conduct studies, the EPA announced last year that it needs another seven years to find out how much perchlorate in our water is too much.
But, until we have a White House that is willing to let the EPA look at decades of research and make an informed decision about an acceptable perchlorate level, we’ll have to fight these silly battles over 2 ppb of perchlorate with a company that is clearly not going to keep its promise to be a good corporate neighbor.
We’ve said it before and it bears repeating, in light of Olin’s continued attempts to shirk its responsibility. We’ll keep an eagle eye on Olin’s every move and to hold them accountable for cleaning up the mess they’ve made of our aquifers.
