OMYA waste storage facility moves forward

September 26, 2003
The Associated Press

PITTSFORD — OMYA will get state permission to build a waste storage facility if it can obtain a couple of more regulatory permits, a top state official say.

Environmental Conservation Commissioner Jeffrey Wennberg spoke at a meeting Thursday about OMYA’s plans for a 32-acre aboveground storage facility for the mineral wastes produced at its calcium carbonate plant.

OMYA wants to be exempted from Vermont’s solid waste law because it is a mining operation. Wennberg said he could agree to that, but he’ll expect the company to obtain permits for a dam and for regulation waste water discharges.

“We want to be absolutely certain that not only the rules are complied with but that the legitimate concerns of the neighbors and folks in the environmental community are addressed through those processes which we have authority over and legally must require,” Wennberg said.

OMYA pulverizes 1 million tons of stone at its plant in Florence to make calcium carbonate, a substance that’s used in toothpaste, plastics, chewing gum, paper and even some high-end ceramics.

But the process also creates waste products called tailings. OMYA churns out more than 100,000 tons of tailings every year. It wants to dispose of them in its proposed waste pit, but not everyone in the region likes the idea.

About 25 people turned out for a meeting Thursday to express their concerns.

Muriel Lefevre lives near OMYA and said she wanted some assurances that the tailings aren’t harmful.

“I’m concerned about the health threat if there is one,” she said. “I have children, I live here and I want to stay here and I want to make sure that everybody’s doing the right thing.”

State toxicologist Bill Bress said the tailings, which contain minerals, calcium carbonate and trace chemical elements, do not pose a health risk.

But some at the meeting, such as Alyssa Schuren of the nonprofit Toxics Action Center were wary.

“Let’s say this stuff is perfectly safe, that children can eat this, it’s as safe as can be,” she said. “Does this decision to exempt these tailings mean that you can put this anywhere?”

Although state health experts say direct contact with OMYA’s tailings are not harmful, less is known about what happens if the material leaks into ground water.

That’s why Wennberg said the additional permits would be required.

Steve Thompson, operations manager at OMYA’s plant in Florence, said he was disappointed with the preliminary ruling but not surprised.

“I think the commissioner and his team were looking out for the public welfare and we support his efforts in that,” he said. “Based on our science and our research that we’ve put into with testing around the site today, we feel comfortable that we can deal with the issues as they’re put out.”

OMYA still has a chance to change the state’s mind. Wennberg is giving all parties two weeks to respond to his initial ruling before making a final decision on permit requirements.