Stop Construction and Deny Permit to Operate Bennett Toxic Waste Incinerator

The NB government has given preliminary approval to Bennett Environmental, Inc. for the construction of a toxic waste incinerator in Belledune, New Brunswick. Dismissing fierce opposition from scientists, environmentalists, and many concerned citizens, Bennett plans to start importing toxic waste from polluted sites in the U.S. & Canada in early 2004.

Whereas current experience has shown that even state-of-the-art incinerators produce and emit dioxins, furans, lead, mercury, and cadmium at levels that create significant human health impacts and pose a threat to our eco-systems;

Whereas the proposed Bennett incinerator is in violation of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) guidelines discouraging waste incineration;

Whereas the proposed Bennett incinerator poses a threat to agriculture and fishery through contamination of soil and water;

Whereas the Ontario government recently refused to license a similar Bennett proposal based on concerns over serious health & environmental impact;

Whereas data on existing levels of environmental pollutants in the Belledune area were not considered by the Bennett proposal;

Whereas the Bennett proposal is counter to the principles of sustainable development & the spirits of the Kyoto & Stockholm Protocols to which Canada is a signatory;

Whereas interested stakeholders from New Brunswick & Quebec - native representatives, agricultural & fishery associations, environmental groups, scientists and concerned citizens - have expressed strong opposition to the proposed Bennett incinerator;

Whereas the proposed Bennett incinerator is in violation of the spirit of the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Waste;

I petition you, as Premier of the Province of New Brunswick, to halt contruction of the Bennett Toxic Waste Incinerator in Belledune and to deny an operating permit for this facility.