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Bucket Brigade Produces Results

By 250 News

Thursday, October 15, 2009 09:53 AM

Prince George, B.C.- The Bucket Brigade, which has taken two air samples in the Millar Addition has its first results.
The results indicate a high concentration of the chemical Methyl-Ethyl-Ketone (MEK). Dr. Marie Hay says this chemical is found in varnishes, lacquers and glues. Speaking on the Meisner program on CFIS this morning, Dr. Hay says this chemical is the same one  which causes brain, heart and lung damage on those who are known to sniff varnishes and glues to get high “There haven’t been enough studies done on the impact of breathing this chemical in on a daily basis.”
The samples were gathered on September 22nd and 23rd, two days during a long spell of odorous air in the bowl area of the city.
“The samples also contained concentrations of Dimethyl sulphide, which is destructive to the nasal and respiratory passages. There was Touluene, which is an organic acid, Alpha-pinene, d-limonene, 3-carene and beta phellandrene. These chemicals area a finger print of the pulp mill, and I have to ask, just what are the workers breathing in?”
The residents of the Millar Addition started a letter writing campaign to Canfor, and received a letter from Dr. Charles Jago, Chairman of the Canfor Board “He said Canfor is working on four major projects over the next two years which will reduce the odours by 50%, and I believe him.”
“We want to be good neighbours” says Dr. Hay “There would be an uproar if the residents of the Millar Addition dumped their trash on the Canfor property, but there is no uproar when Canfor dumps its trash into our air.”
Dr. Hay says the Millar Addition has requested funding from the P.G. Air Roundtable which no longer needs the money it had received from the City. She says the request has now been redirected to the City “We would like to get some funding to carry on the bucket sampling. It costs $500 to analyze each sample and we would like to get a very good idea over the course of a year and that would mean 1 or 2 samples a month.”

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Posted on Thursday, October 15, 2009 09:53 AM in News by 250 News

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Comments

Comment Posted by: The Real Moses on October 15 2009 10:19 AM
Dr. Hay makes a very fitting analogy.

“There would be an uproar if the residents of the Millar Addition dumped their trash on the Canfor property, but there is no uproar when Canfor dumps its trash into our air.”

Comment Posted by: jonnypg on October 15 2009 10:46 AM
Now what!
Comment Posted by: Harbinger on October 15 2009 11:12 AM
Don't inhale very much if you live in the Millar Addition.
Comment Posted by: whelen on October 15 2009 11:30 AM
On December 19, 2005, the Environmental Protection Agency removed methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) from the list of hazardous air pollutants (HAPs). After technical review and consideration of public comments, EPA concluded that potential exposures to MEK emitted from industrial processes may not reasonably be anticipated to cause human health or environmental problems. Emissions of MEK will continue to be regulated as a volatile organic compound because of its contribution to the formation of tropospheric (ground-level) ozone. (Wickipedia)
Comment Posted by: mdhay on October 15 2009 2:51 PM
if you want to trust wickie you sure can.......
however if you would like some real science, try out the following web site on the adverse health consequences of MEK
http://oehha.ca.gov/air/chronic_rels/pdf/78933.pdf
Comment Posted by: Jimmi on October 15 2009 4:21 PM
this is straight from the EPA

http://epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3/fact_sheets/mek_fs.html
Comment Posted by: mdhay on October 15 2009 5:06 PM
funny.......this organization the "EPA",an american organization, does not seem to be able to make up its mind about MEK ,they have another website outlining all the health consquences of MEK
see their website:

www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hltef/methylet.html

The people of Prince George are smart.......if they really want to understand the health hazards of methyl ethyl ketone ; all they have to do is google that question and they can do their own research and then make up their own minds.
Most people might by now, be questioning why you are so eager to prove to people that MEK is not harmful to their health!
Didn't the tobacco companies do the same for many years when they claimed so loudly, that cigarettes were not harmful to human health !? Makes one wonder indeed.
Comment Posted by: Green on October 15 2009 8:13 PM
Inhalation risk
A harmful contamination of the air can be reached rather quickly on evaporation of this substance at 20C.

Effects of short-term exposure
The substance is irritating to the eyes and the respiratory tract. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system. Exposure far above the OEL may result in unconsciousness.

Effects of long-term or repeated exposure
The liquid defats the skin. Animal tests show that this substance possibly causes toxic effects upon human reproduction.

seems like MEK is dangerous...
Comment Posted by: seamutt on October 15 2009 11:18 PM
EPA is also calling C02 a pollutant. Thats funny since this gas is essential for life so what credibility do they have.
Comment Posted by: Loki on October 16 2009 11:04 AM
Environmental Protection Agency is a USA agency. In Canada, we have an Environment ministry.

The US government is notorious for not divulging information and when they do, it is often tempered with distractions and untruths. Being closed rank and outright lying, and a big finance lobby, why bother to quote them? I barely believe our own government, let alone a foreign one with a history of population manipulation.

What does Environment Canada say about those matters. As seamutt noted, they (EPA) are calling a natural substance that is required for life on earth a pollutant.
Comment Posted by: Green on October 16 2009 4:20 PM
Its true that in 2005, the U.S. EPA (under the Bush Administration!) administratively removed MEK from the list of toxic air pollutants the Agency is required to regulate under the Clean Air Act.

See: http://epa.gov/ttn/oarpg/t3/fact_sheets/mek_fs.html

It is also true that more recently, scientists have published new data showing that exposure to low levels of MEK, alone or combination with other industrial solvents, causes toxic effects at the cellular level that could be associated with impacts to the human immune system.

See: In Vitro Exposure of Jurkat T-Cells to Industrially Important Organic Solvents in Binary Combination: Interaction Analysis
http://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/101/2/263

Skeptics can post these in their browser and think twice
Comment Posted by: mdhay on October 16 2009 4:31 PM
Even if there was a ten tonne truck load of research into the adverse health consequences of inhaled toluene and MEK (2-butanone),there would still be people who would "refuse to believe",
as their minds are not really open to facts, science or logic.
But chances are, they do not and would not live in the Millar Addition !
They would not risk it !! just in case.