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| Our Mission - C.L.E.A.R. is a partnership of
Claremont citizens and others who respect and value the people, the
environment, the public health, the political process, and the economics of our
community and region; and who encourage public participation in the
decision-making process to promote the principles of environmental, political,
social, and economic health; and who commit to an organizational frame work
that is non-profit, open, democratic, and accountable. |
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| The Problem |
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| Elected Officials And Regulators Have An Obligation To Become Proactive |
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The health of people in Claremont and Sullivan County are being put at risk by
the toxic pollution from the Claremont Wheelabrator trash-to-energy
incinerator. New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services and many
elected officials have not vigorously sought to protect the public health and
environment of Claremont and Sullivan County citizens.
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More than 200 known dangerous chemicals are the by-products of trash
incineration. Many are identified as emitting from the Wheelabrator stack and
also end up in the ash residue. This ash is stored in the closed landfill
located in Newport on the Claremont border and near the Sugar River which is a
source of some of Claremont’s municipal water supply. Engineers have admitted
there is a leak in the landfill liner.
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Since Wheelabrator started burning trash in 1987, more than 8.5 million
pounds of toxic pollution have been released on Claremont and the
area.
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This pollution falls on our lands and waters, our homes and schools. Small
particles of this pollution which are covered with toxic poisons such as lead,
mercury and dioxins are in the air we breathe. They settle deep in our lungs
and let the poisons get to our blood stream very quickly and they can result in
asthma and other illnesses.
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| Waste Incineration’s Known Pollution Is A Threat To Human Health |
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Lead, mercury and dioxins can harm babies in the womb and adversely impact
developing children. They can be found in mothers’ breast milk and studies show
they can contaminate dairy products from farms located near a waste
incinerator.
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Lead, mercury and dioxins are poisons that build up in our environment, our
food and our bodies. Many scientists believe there are no safe levels of
exposure to these toxics. State records show Claremont is already an “at risk”
population for lead exposure.
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These toxic poisons cause learning disabilities, nervous system damage and can
promote cancers. Dioxin is linked to birth defects, reduced IQ and hyperactive
behavior in children, autoimmune diseases such as endometriosis and diabetes,
as well as reproductive system damage in males and females.
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| Being ‘Host’ To The Trash Incinerator Does Not Promote Claremont’s Best
Interests |
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Many believe the incinerator is bad for Claremont’s image and pride. Being the
“waste solution” for communities from all over the Northeast makes the City a
target for imported trash.
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The expensive power produced by Wheelabrator has affected Claremont’s economic
development and has been a factor that has made it difficult to retain and
recruit new businesses.
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| The Solution |
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The costs of pollution from incinerating trash are expensive in economic
dollars, human health, environmental damage - and they are avoidable. There are
available alternatives for handling waste other than turning it into toxic
smoke and ash. These proven alternatives reclaim and avoid wasting valuable
resources.
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It is possible to envision a future where Claremont and Sullivan County can be
effective models for managing resources and discards in a safer, more
sustainable way.
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Elected officials and regulators have a responsibility to respond to citizen’s
concerns and not allow industries to engage in activities which emit known
toxic pollution onto our communities threatening the health of our children and
our environment. Officials should defend our rights and the health of our
families as vigorously as they defend the polluter’s rights.
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| Why Act Now? |
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Claremont has a new vision and informed citizens are no longer willing to bear
the burden of pollution from waste incineration. People are becoming aware of
environmental threats from this pollution especially to the health of their
children. Claremont and the area have endured harmful pollution from the
Wheelabrator incinerator since 1987. It is time to take the orderly steps to
eliminate that threat.
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Claremont’s waste disposal contract with Wheelabrator will come to an end in
2007. This is the favorable time to put in place waste management plans that
protect public health and save resources; that give the public a prominent role
in decision making and control; and that promote new businesses and employment
opportunities.
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There is a growing coalition of concerned legislators and citizens across the
state actively working to protect the health and environment of New Hampshire
by developing policies and regulations to phase out waste incineration and
implement sound waste management policies.
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The Claremont Trash Advisory Committee has recently presented their report to
the Claremont City Council that includes suggestions for officials to consider
as they make decisions around the future of waste management in Claremont.
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Citizens are working on setting up pilot programs in Sullivan County for waste
management that implement reduce, reuse, recycle and composting ideas. Grant
funds have already been awarded and waste management professionals are ready to
offer their expertise. More grant funds may become available for further
planning and testing.
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