Kudos handed out for air quality gains

SooToday.com has received the following letter from a Sault resident who, among many community involvements, has served as the chair of the AIR Quality Committee, held union leadership positions, and run as a local NDP candidate:

************************* As a 29-year resident of the West End, I am pleased to receive notice that Essar Steel Algoma has started installation of Individualized Oven Pressure Controls (IOPC) on the No. 9 coke battery.

The coke battery has long been a troubling source of airborne toxins.

This installation will make a big improvement in air quality for the coke battery workers, for residents of the city, and especially for those living in the West End.

Having lobbied for many years for such improvements, I know there have been a number of people who can be credited with this and similar air quality improvements at Essar and throughout the community.

In chronological order, first, we should credit Bud Wildman.

Bud was Minister of the Environment when Ontario enacted the Environmental Bill of Rights and the environmental commissioner.

Finally, Ontarians had a third-party advocate and legislative teeth in the fight for improvements to the environment.

Tony Martin, during his 20-plus years as MPP and MP, continuously raised environmental issues, especially about air and water quality.

Often Tony was the only elected official locally to bring these concerns to public scrutiny on a regular basis.

Give credit also to the new ownership of Essar, who seem to understand their role as neighbours, as members of the community, and as stewards of the environment, in a way that previous ownership did not.

There are many others who have helped keep the pressure on.

A few years back USW Local 2251 held a very successful Occupational Disease Clinic which brought into sharp reality the lingering and devastating effects of breathing toxic air.

Residents of Bayview, and across the city, have come to public meetings, phoned in complaints to the Spills Action Centre (1-800-268-6060), and have otherwise raised their voices in a call for cleaner air.

The high incidence of chronic disease related to bad air is unacceptable.

The IOPC installation is a big step forward.

It is also not the end of improvements that need to be made in local industry and in the community.

Each of us can act in our own way - for example, by driving a little less, and by making sure our cars are tuned.

We can challenge ourselves and one another each day to find ways to make improvements to air quality.

- Jeff Arbus, East Balfour St

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