Awards usually signify the measure of accomplishment.
This was clearly not the case with Belcher Corporation Tuesday afternoon.
At a small "ceremony" just outside the South Easton plant, Belcher received one of 12 Dirty Dozen Awards distributed annually by Toxics Action Center, an organization which helps neighborhood groups across New England fight toxic pollution in their communities.
On hand were Toxics Action field organizer Johanna Neumann, state representative Geraldine Creedon, D-Brockton, state Senator Brian Joyce, D-Milton, as well as nearly 20 residents who live near the Foundry Street plant which has under scrutiny for allegedly polluting the environment due to soot, sand, and strong odor emissions.
"I don't mind seeing this day finally come forward," said George Allen, a member of a group of concerned residents called Foundry Watch. "We all have a common cause here and that's to make our neighborhood safer and to protect our quality of life. We've come a long way and I think we have a lot more work to do, but by giving (Belcher Corp.) this award we're giving them notice that we have a strong (neighborhood) group and that we're not going to (deal with the pollution) any more."
In September, the plant was fined $15,000 by the Department of Environmental Protection and also required by the DEP to pay an estimated $79,000 for environmental testing. (See related story, Page 3)
More recently, Belcher Corp. has been having problems with its septic system overflowing, forcing the Board of Health two weeks ago to give the plant until Dec . 6 to come up with a plan to resolve the issue before Concord-based Earth Tech, Inc. begins conducting the testing later this month.
Further, residents have made complaints about Belcher Corp.'s operating hours of 6 a..m.- 10 p.m., Monday-Friday despite the fact the plant recently scaled down from a 24-hour, seven-day per week operation.
"On a state and local level, as your elected officials, the goal to the citizens is to (help) their best efforts (in moving ahead) with this issue," said Joyce. "I've been delighted to work with the Board of Selectmen and Representative Creedon to assist George and the other neighbors to protect the quality of life here."
Creedon and Maria Botelho, who lives directly across the street from Belcher Corp., also spoke about the need for the plant to clean up its act.
"I collected soot (which had gathered) at my windowsill and had it tested," said Botelho. "It came back with high levels of lead. It came back with very, very small particles which cause respiratory problems, such as asthma. My daughter suffers from severe asthma and she is on daily medication. I can only wonder if her health problems are related to the (plant) across the street."
Some residents in attendance held signs up such as, "Toot If They Pollute" and "Honk If It Stinks" near the road and many passing vehicles honked in response during the presentation.
Neumann attempted to call plant manager Don Wheeler on a cell phone to come out to accept the award, but he did not answer. Kathy Weiss, a neighborhood resident, knocked on the plant's office door but did not get a response.
Wheeler did not return phone calls from the Journal seeking comment on the presentation.
"This facility has time and time again proven itself as a threat to the health and safety of the residents of the area," said Neumann, who noted the award will be delivered by certified mail. "Despite a DEP consent order, they continued to spew soot and odor into the air and the noise continues to disturb residents' lives. The (plant) can and should be a better neighbor to the residents of Easton."
The Dirty Dozen awards have, for the past eight years, spotlighted 12 of New England's top polluters. This year, the awards highlighted a wide array of toxic hazards which ranged from leaking landfills and a proposed cement plant to trash incinerators and contaminated hazardous waste sites.
The Dirty Dozen were chosen from a set of more than 30 nominations by a 15-member panel of environmental and public health officials.
Staff Writer Josh Press can be reached at 508-634-7564 or by email at jpress@cnc.com
Copyright: Easton Journal on TownOnline.com
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