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Volume III, Number 2 November 1989
ow-level
radioactive
management
attacked by
citizens group
"Portalandia" arrives in Portland, Ore.,
welcomed by a jubilant crowd. The 60
foot sculpture, by Raymond Kaskey, is
an example of well-received art in a
"public space." A public radio series will
address the controversy over "Art in the
Public’s House." See page 5 for story.
Photo by Brian Foulkes
by Jeff Fobes
North Carolina’s management of low
level nuclear waste was rejected by the
Radioactive Waste Roundtable in a strongly
worded statement made to the N.C. Low
Level Radioactive Waste Management, Oct.
25.
The Raleigh-based citizens group called
for the resignation of Frederick Van
Swearingen, the newest member of the
Waste Management Authority. The group
said that Van Swearingen was appointed
just three days after the suspension of the
operating license for a medical waste
incinerator at Bowman Gray School of
Medicine, at which he is Safety Officer.
But Van Swearingen said, when
contacted by telephone, that the license for
the incinerator had not been suspended.
Rather, after the state found some radiation
in the ash, it asked that the incineration
operation be stopped until a study could be
conducted. He said there had been no
determination that radiation limits had been
exceeded as the Roundtable claimed. Van
Swearingen said, “I can understand how
they could have a concern, but it was based
on inaccurate information. All the items
they cited were errors.” He added that
neither his employer nor the N.C. Dept, of
Radiation Protection had lost confidence in
his competence.
The Roundtable called for the immedi
ate recision of the Authority’s contract with
Chem-Nuclear Systems, Inc. (CNSI)
because of “that company’s un
trustworthiness and lack of concern for the
Green Line
PO Box 144
Asheville, NC 28802
Bulk Rate
Postage Paid
Permit N. 283
Asheville. NC 28801
-PAfitt.uqtnDm I 1EDAPV
ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA
ABUSING
BUSINESSES
Factions struggle over a sign ordinance for Asheville
Coverage on page 3
Pesticides in
the schools
— Our children at risk
public.” The statement noted that a Vice
President David Ebenhack of CNSI “had
attempted to deliberately mislead the
public” regarding sources of radioactive
waste and dates of arrival of waste in an
incident in Channahon, 111.
Gail Rosenberg, Director of Communi
cations and Community Relations for
CNSI’s N.C. project, when contacted by
telephone said that the Authority had
selected CNSI over other bidders and had
confirmed CNSI’s compliance history and
capability of managing the project.
Ebenhack was unavailable for com
ment. Allan Stalvey, CNSI’s Director of
Public Affairs said that some mistakes had
been made on the Channahon project in not
notifying everyone they should have, but
nothing was done on purpose. He denied
that Ebenhack had deliberately misled
anyone.
- continued on page 11
by Janet Orselli
The new school year has begun, but if
you are a parent of school-aged children,
don’t relax quite yet Our nation’s schools
can be a dangerous place for kids and
others. Most school systems rely on toxic
chemicals to control pests.
There are many areas within schools
such as kitchens, dining rooms, garbage
disposal facilities, and bathrooms where
pest problems may develop. The type and
frequency of pesticide use in schools varies
according to the problem. In Macon County
schools, the pesticide Dursban is applied
every 30 days to cracks and crevices for
control of cockroaches.
Unfortunately, most pesticides are also
harmful to other living things besides pests,
including people. Some have been found to
cause acute and chronic health problems
such as cancer, birth defects, genetic
damage, and neurological disorders.
Scientists have been learning more about the
effects of pesticide exposure on our chil
dren. According to Beverly Paigen,
research biochemist at Children’s Hospital
Medical Center in Oakland, Ca., children
are more sensitive to toxic chemicals than
adults. Because children are still growing
and are more active than adults, they require
more food and oxygen, and so receive a
higher dose of toxins per pound of body
- continued on page 8
• Spring Creek - the school what wouldn't die
• EPA head accused of misconduct in
NC incident
• Macon fights for clean streams
. Caldwell incinerator closed
• Don't throw your leaves away and...
• Recycling comes to Buncombe County