Omya tests shows no contaminationOmya tests shows no contamination January 1, 2007 By Bruce Edwards Herald Staff PITTSFORD — Further testing of groundwater adjacent to Omya's calcium carbonate plant has failed to turn up any evidence of chemical contamination. The latest findings contradict earlier test results that showed the possible contamination of drinking water near three homes. Test results from this summer showed the presence of very low levels of tall oil, a chemical used in the calcium carbonate manufacturing process to remove impurities. Although the earlier findings were well below health standards for drinking water, the test results nonetheless raised serious concerns at the Department of Environmental Conservation, which ordered Omya Inc. to take corrective action. Omya executive vice president James Reddy said the most recent testing is more sophisticated and a more reliable indicator than the earlier method. "This is a very tough chemical to find and we're looking for things in the parts per billion," Reddy said. "There had been no tests that had ever been developed for it before." Because tall oil, a pine tar derivative, is not commonly used, not even the Environmental Protection Agency has a test to detect its presence, Reddy said. At the time traces of tall oil were detected last summer, Reddy said there was never any threat to the health of the environment. Jeffrey Wennberg, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, concurred with Reddy that the latest testing methodology is far more accurate and is able to identify the chemical components in the tall oil. Using the old methodology, he said positive results would show up for something other than tall oil. "The results we've seen from the follow up test using the more accurate method have been very good and haven't shown any detects except I believe directly underneath one of the storage areas,' Wennberg said. At the same time, Wennberg said there is still the question of why the earlier test results came back as false positives. He said Omya and its consultants are working to investigate the source the problem with the earlier testing. "It calls into question what we were getting using the other methodology," Wennberg said. "Was it some other chemical that was showing a false positive? Was there something wrong with the methodology?" Reddy said it was the first time since 2001 that the test results using the old methodology had turned up false positive readings. Wennberg added that the new methodology is still being fine tuned to ensure that it's the best. methodology. Omya critic Annette Smith said the latest test results should ease the concerns of neighbors. "It doesn't appear that any harm was done except for the peace of mind of the people who live in the neighborhood, who were the last ones to know what was going on," said Smith, executive director of Vermonters for a Clean Environment. Omya is also working with the state, neighbors and other interested parties on a several issues including a waste storage certification for its marble tailings, which have been stored over the years in old quarries near the plant. The collaborative is also addressing noise and odor problems associated with the plant.

http://www.rutlandherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070101/NEWS/701010306/1011/BUSINESS

Omya tests shows no contamination

January 1, 2007

By Bruce Edwards Herald Staff

PITTSFORD — Further testing of groundwater adjacent to Omya's calcium carbonate plant has failed to turn up any evidence of chemical contamination.

The latest findings contradict earlier test results that showed the possible contamination of drinking water near three homes. Test results from this summer showed the presence of very low levels of tall oil, a chemical used in the calcium carbonate manufacturing process to remove impurities.

Although the earlier findings were well below health standards for drinking water, the test results nonetheless raised serious concerns at the Department of Environmental Conservation, which ordered Omya Inc. to take corrective action.

Omya executive vice president James Reddy said the most recent testing is more sophisticated and a more reliable indicator than the earlier method.

"This is a very tough chemical to find and we're looking for things in the parts per billion," Reddy said. "There had been no tests that had ever been developed for it before."

Because tall oil, a pine tar derivative, is not commonly used, not even the Environmental Protection Agency has a test to detect its presence, Reddy said.

At the time traces of tall oil were detected last summer, Reddy said there was never any threat to the health of the environment.

Jeffrey Wennberg, commissioner of the Department of Environmental Conservation, concurred with Reddy that the latest testing methodology is far more accurate and is able to identify the chemical components in the tall oil. Using the old methodology, he said positive results would show up for something other than tall oil.

"The results we've seen from the follow up test using the more accurate method have been very good and haven't shown any detects except I believe directly underneath one of the storage areas,' Wennberg said.

At the same time, Wennberg said there is still the question of why the earlier test results came back as false positives. He said Omya and its consultants are working to investigate the source the problem with the earlier testing.

"It calls into question what we were getting using the other methodology," Wennberg said. "Was it some other chemical that was showing a false positive? Was there something wrong with the methodology?"

Reddy said it was the first time since 2001 that the test results using the old methodology had turned up false positive readings.

Wennberg added that the new methodology is still being fine tuned to ensure that it's the best. methodology.

Omya critic Annette Smith said the latest test results should ease the concerns of neighbors.

"It doesn't appear that any harm was done except for the peace of mind of the people who live in the neighborhood, who were the last ones to know what was going on," said Smith, executive director of Vermonters for a Clean Environment.

Omya is also working with the state, neighbors and other interested parties on a several issues including a waste storage certification for its marble tailings, which have been stored over the years in old quarries near the plant. The collaborative is also addressing noise and odor problems associated with the plant.