G8 Summit In Georgia Hypes Environment - 16 Toxic Sites Within 10 MIles

[hatrack]

President George Bush is to bring leaders of the world's richest to Sea Island next month to showcase his "environmental stewardship". But the island - the most beautiful of the sub-tropical Golden Isles off the Georgia coast - is in one of the most polluted areas of the American South. Glynn County, which contains Sea Island - the site of next month's G8 summit - is home to 16 hazardous waste plants.

A nearby polluting paper mill is being closed down while the leaders of the world's richest countries, including Tony Blair, are in the neighbourhood.


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The summit's website says that the President wants to "showcase the complementary benefits of environmental stewardship and a strong economy". But critics will point out this is another case where the environmental facts belie the President's words. For there is an unhappy parallel with Venice, in that ecological danger lurks over the horizon. Of the 16 hazardous waste sites within 10 miles of the island, four are so contaminated they have been designated for government treatment programmes. They include a tidal creek and landfill dump full of a banned pesticide; a former chemical factory that dumped toxic mercury in local creeks; and a defunct wood preservatives factory. Before the clean-up began, shrimpers used to dock their boats in one of the creeks so the pollution would kill the barnacles on their hulls.

The most visible sign of pollution is the Hercules factory, emblemised by its two tall stainless steel chimneys gorging large clouds of vapour over the causeway leading to Sea Island. Its smell - a cocktail of glue and stewed cabbage - hangs like a pall. The factory makes a variety of things, including paper and resin products, but the G8 leaders won't smell it, since it will be closed down during their stay for "holidays"."

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[TheFarseer]

1. I wonder if someone will call him on this

could potentially be very embarrassing - as it should be!