By Andrew Schopp
Residents in the Dupont and Lansdowne area are concerned to learn that the General Electric-Hitachi facility in their neighbourhood is processing uranium.
Located at 1025 Lansdowne Avenue, the facility has been producing uranium pellets since 1965, according to the Toronto Star.
Tony Palermo, 51, said he has lived directly across the street from the facility for 15 years and only recently discovered the facility’s function after reporters began snooping around the area asking questions.
“I had no idea. I thought it was just a factory,” Palermo told Humber News.
“I got a family here and knowing that this is happening now there is definitely some steps we have to take here. I would really like to know the outcome of this. Some illnesses that we have, is it because of (this place)? I don’t know? I’m not a scientist,” he said.
Palermo said there was nothing done to inform local residents of what the facility does.
“Nobody’s every told us anything about that. No papers, no flyers, nothing’s been around. We had no idea at all, I’m sure if you talk to any of these neighbors, most of them didn’t even know,” he said.
MP Andrew Cash (Davenport) has heard the call of his constituents and has responded to their concerns.
“We’ve heard from residents that they are concerned about the health and safety of the community and a lack of accessible public information about the factory,” said Cash in a statement.
“Our offices have been in communication with the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) and with GE-Hitachi. We are touring the plant next week to get a first-hand account of this operation,” he said.
GE Canada spokeswoman Kim Warburton, told the Toronto Star the facility only uses natural uranium which is of not dangerous compared to enriched uranium.
A community meeting is now scheduled for Nov 15.
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