Syntex Chemicals (Roche Subsidiary)
Brian Andreja
> From: ch...@clam.uchsc.edu (Chris Yoder)
> Date: 1996/04/23
> organization: University of Colorado, Health Sciences Center
> In article <4l9cu2$2...@boulder.earthnet.net>,
> Brian Andreja <and...@earthnet.net> wrote:
> :An alliance of citizens’ groups will gather at noon on
> :Monday, April 22, 1996, at 2075 North 55th Street in
> :Boulder, to recognize Syntex Chemicals as Boulder’s #1
> :toxic polluter and "Bad Neighbor".
>
> What kinds and levels of toxics are they producing?
Sorry that it took so long to reply to your post. The
Earthday protest at Syntex led to two arrests and a
life-threating situation due to the over-reaction of
security forces at Syntex.
If your interested in reading about it check-out the
Boulder Weekly On-line at:
<A HREF="http://www.altnews.com/~altnews/home.html>
http://www.altnews.com/~altnews/home.html</A>
BACKGROUND ON SYNTEX CHEMICALS
Syntex Chemicals, Inc. primarily manufactures pharmaceuticals.
The company bought the local Arapahoe Chemicals company, on the SE
corner of Broadway and Pearl (current site of Target) in 1965. It
built its present facilty in Flatirons Industrial Park in the mid 70's
and renamed the company Syntex in 1982. Syntex operates 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, and employs 280 locally.
Syntex is a member of the Chemical Manufacturers Association's
"Responsible Care" program. Syntex borrowed two of the program's ten
guiding principles to help draft its "Good Neighbor Pledge", signed in
1991 by Gerry Hoerig, Vice President and General Manager of Syntex
Chemicals.
HISTORY OF SYNTEX AS A POLLUTER
#1 Toxic Waste Generator in the State: In 1991 Syntex was #1
in Colorado in the production of "Total Toxic Chemical Waste"
(32,122,350 lbs.), making Boulder County the most toxic county
and 80301 the most toxic zip code in Colorado.
In 1991 Syntex was #1 in Colorado in the production of "Toxic
Chemical Waste Known to Cause or Suspected of Causing
Birth Defects" (5,044,900 lbs. of 16 million state total),
making Boulder County and zip code 80301 #1 in the State.
In 1991 Syntex was #2 in Colorado in the production of
"Cancer-Causing Chemical Waste" (911,600 lbs. of 5 million
total). Again, Boulder County (1.994,000 lbs.) and 80301
(1,921,000 lbs.) were honored with the #1 spot.
(Citizens Fund, November 1993)
On-Site Groundwater Contamination: According to the EPA,
"historical spills, leaks, and accidental discharges all
indicated in Syntex Chemicals Inc.'s internal safety
reporting sytem" have resulted in a large contaminated plume
(Plume S5) below the northern periphery of the plant. This
water, contaminated with the known carcinogenic benzene,
as well as xylene, toluene, ethylbenzene, chlorobenzene
and tetrahydrofuran, is currently migrating off-site to
the North at a rate of one foot per day. These substances
have been detected at disturbingly high levels:
Chemical Detected Levels EPA Limit
Benzene 43,000 parts per billion 5 ppb
Toluene 54 parts per million 2 ppm
Xylene 73,000 parts per billion 440 ppb
As of 1994, Syntex had treated roughly 35,553,710 gallons of
contaminated groundwater. The extent of the contamination is still
unknown. (EPA fact sheet on Syntex, April, 1989)
This list is in no way intended to be complete. There are too many
permit violations, spills, accidents, and explosions to fit on these two
pages. Records of all these events are available through the County and
State departments of health and the EPA.
For the 26th anniversary of Earth Day, Syntex continues to work
on legislation designed to disempower citizen's groups and local
governments. In their own words, "Syntex supported , and still
supports, the concept" of House Bill 1272. HB 1272 would have robbed
local communities of control over industrial toxic threats by eliminating
City authority over air quality, water quality, hazardous waste,
radioactive waste, and solid waste. This bill was defeated by the
narrowest of margins this past March.
It is important to note that improvements with regards to
emissions reductions have come largely through public pressure on
Syntex. Perhaps if Syntex was truely committed to waste and emissions
reductions, they wouldn't be so fearful of citizen's groups and the City
attempting to regulate them. Even if Syntex were able to reduce its
toxic emissions to zero, their toxic legacy will be with us for generations.
So, How Green is Syntex? You Decide.
BOULDER TOXICS ALLIANCE
B.R.E.A.T.H.E. C.A.S.K.E.T. GREENPEACE
C.U. TOXICS GROUP C.U. ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER
DarkHeart
Brian Andreja wrote:
<snip>
>
> Sorry that it took so long to reply to your post. The
> Earthday protest at Syntex led to two arrests and a
> life-threating situation due to the over-reaction of
> security forces at Syntex.
What??? Are you referring to the idiot that locked himself to a gate and then was
astounded(amazed, stunned, blinded by the light) when someone actually operated said
gate? Someone "over-reacted" by opening a gate? Pull it out and let it get some light.
You do your cause a disfavor by getting distracted by the antics of the intellectually
challenged genetic deadends that have attached themselves to this protest.
Evan D Ravitz
DarkHeart (var...@rat.com) wrote:
: What??? Are you referring to the idiot that locked himself to a gate and then was
: astounded(amazed, stunned, blinded by the light) when someone actually operated said
: gate? Someone "over-reacted" by opening a gate? Pull it out and let it get some light.
: You do your cause a disfavor by getting distracted by the antics of the intellectually
: challenged genetic deadends that have attached themselves to this protest.
Ed von Bleichert is a level-headed young man, one of the most consistent
and responsible people at CU's Environmental Center. While protests like
this may not be effective, people have to try what they can to expose
what polluters do, with the consent of our "representatives".
I always notice and avoid the Syntex smell so common on the Boulder Creek
Path past the tunnel under the Railroad. I assume, since it is always the
same sweet smell, it is used to cover-up the other stuff they emit.
Anybody know what it is?
For the first time, last week I smelled Syntex on *Broadway* near
Regent. A friend told m he regularly smells it on *4th Street* in North
Broadway.
What Boulder needs is a *representative* City Council which will stand up
to polluters, or let the citizens decide issues like this. A council like
the one now, with 5 of 9 members originally being appointed, not elected,
is guaranteed to wimp out on the tough issues.
For information on the lawsuit that Voters for Open Government has filed
for a special election so *we*, not Council, decide who succeeds
dearly-departed Matt Appelbaum, see the web site at:
((((((((((((((((((((( ))))))))))))))))))))))
Evan Ravitz, director, GOVERNMENT BY THE PEOPLE, a nonprofit. ev...@vote.org
Info, systems & consulting from the directors of the US National Science
Foundation's 1974 Televote trials and Boulder's 1993 Voting by Phone
ballot initiative. http://www.vote.org/v (303)440-6838 phone/fax
"We must put it out of the power of the few to riot on
the labors of the many" - Thomas Jefferson
KASSARJIAN STEVEN J
In article <DqI04r.I...@indra.com>, Evan D Ravitz <ev...@indra.com> wrote:
>
>I always notice and avoid the Syntex smell so common on the Boulder Creek
>Path past the tunnel under the Railroad. I assume, since it is always the
>same sweet smell, it is used to cover-up the other stuff they emit.
>Anybody know what it is?
Reality check, here.
The idea of releasing a perfume to mask solvent odors is absurd. The
effort to design a massive aerator to perfume the city and the expense
to operate such a large device, while keeping it secret and hidden
(from even the employees) would make such an endeavor ridiculous to
even contemplate.
Especially considering that some solvents, e.g., poly alcohols like
propylene glycol, smell sweet. Very sweet. Powerfully, sickeningly
sweet. While being less toxic than less-smelly, more-powerful
solvents.
And, some volatile chemicals have _reliable_ detection thresholds much
smaller than their toxicity limits. (Hydrogen chloride gas fits this
description and I suspect the sweet-smelling solvent does too, but
unfortunately, most volatile chemicals do not.)
Which is not to say that smelling this stuff is necessarily pleasant,
or non-noxious. But smelling it might be much safer than the
alternative.
Steve
--
Steven.K...@Colorado.edu
planter
KASSARJIAN STEVEN J <kass...@stripe.Colorado.EDU> writes:
>The idea of releasing a perfume to mask solvent odors is absurd. The
>effort to design a massive aerator to perfume the city and the expense
>to operate such a large device, while keeping it secret and hidden
>(from even the employees) would make such an endeavor ridiculous to
>even contemplate.
system. They used a few cups of food grade (expensive) vanilla every
shift to cover up the smell of the stuff you are full of.
Dean Myerson
In article <4ltjd2$r...@peabody.colorado.edu> kass...@stripe.Colorado.EDU (KASSARJIAN STEVEN J) writes:
>In article <DqI04r.I...@indra.com>, Evan D Ravitz <ev...@indra.com> wrote:
>>
>>I always notice and avoid the Syntex smell so common on the Boulder Creek
>>Path past the tunnel under the Railroad. I assume, since it is always the
>>same sweet smell, it is used to cover-up the other stuff they emit.
>>Anybody know what it is?
>
>Reality check, here.
>
guess is that Evan is probably smelling the famous chicken farm which is
just to the north on Valmont. Or maybe the Humane Society?
--
-- Dean Myerson
(de...@vexcel.com) (http://www.vexcel.com)
Brian Andreja
Dean,
Many people over the last 6 years have noticed the change in
the smell from Syntex (deodorant?). Syntex has admitted that
the grape bubble-gum smell comes from a "bi-product" of their
production process. This was only after a series of odor complaints
from nearby residents. Other industries have used the same chemical
to "perfume" their stacks.
If you have the time, go down to the Boulder County Health
Department or the Colorado Department of Public Health and
Environment and research the files. They have been "cleansed"
of more damaging documents, but will give a good history
of complaints from nearby businesses and residents.
Don't dismiss what Evan says because of your preconceptions.
Brian Andreja
> Subject: Re: Syntex Chemicals (Roche Subsidiary)
> From: fed...@anchor.cs.colorado.edu (Kelvin Fedrick)
> Date: 1996/04/27
> Message-Id: <4ls0dg$q...@csnews.cs.colorado.edu>
> References: <4lpbvk$q...@boulder.earthnet.net> <318107...@rat.com> <DqI04r.I...@indra.com>
> Organization: University of Colorado, Boulder
> Newsgroups: boulder.general,co.general,co.politics,talk.environment,sci.environment
>
> In article <DqI04r.I...@indra.com>, Evan D Ravitz <ev...@indra.com> wrote:
> >DarkHeart (var...@rat.com) wrote:
>
>
> >Ed von Bleichert is a level-headed young man, one of the most consistent
> >and responsible people at CU's Environmental Center.
>
> His actions demonstrate otherwise. BTW, your wording is rather ironic since
> from my understanding, he nearly ended up being extremely "level-headed". :^)
What evidence do you have for this statement? Or are you just
exercising your right to pontificate without facts?
Are you serious about your sense of irony? There is strong evidence
that a Syntex employee intentional took an action that would harm
another life. This is beyond ideology and enters the realm of
criminal law. Trespass does not compare, legally or morally, with
criminal assault.
>
> >While protests like this may not be effective, people have to try what they
> >can to expose what polluters do, with the consent of our "representatives".
>
> The only thing locking yourself to an electronic gate by the neck exposes is
> ones own stupidity. He could have very easily hanged himself regardless of
> whether the gate moved or not. I have to admit that I would have found it
> rather amusing if the police and Syntex had simply waited to see how long
> Ed wanted to stay there (I hope he had a lot of No-dose).
The protest was quite effective. It was covered by two Denver TV stations,
two radio stations and four newspapers. This is more coverage than
any other previous protest or news release regarding Syntex. If anything,
this proves that direct action works.
Do you understand the history of civil disobedience and its importance
in a democracy?
Do you understand the facts surrounding Syntex's regulatory history?
Do you understand how corporations have stolen your democratic
rights through campaign contributions, lobbying and funding
of slightly slanted academic research?
Do you have an ethical system that elevates acting on principle
above rhetoric or compassion above ideology?
Do you really wish violence on someone who is being non-violent?
Good things to reflect on.
Dan Duncan
As I recall, Brian Andreja (and...@earthnet.net) wrote:
->another life. This is beyond ideology and enters the realm of
->criminal law. Trespass does not compare, legally or morally, with
->criminal assault.
Odd. In many places, its perfectly legal to SHOOT trespassers.
-DanD
--
# Dan D (kd4igw) da...@rmii.com da...@frottage.com
# Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you like.
# -Mark Twain
John McCarthy
It is excellent protest tactics if your objective case is strong to do
something in violation of other people's rights that provokes a
stronger reaction than your original action. If the press tends to
favor your side, the issue will then their action against you rather
than the action that provoked it. You can often win the original case
without ever needing a single argument.
The Karen Silkwood case illustrates that getting a movie made implying
that someone was murdered avoids any requirement of evidence of either
the murder or the issue being argued.
--
John McCarthy, Computer Science Department, Stanford, CA 94305
*
He who refuses to do arithmetic is doomed to talk nonsense.
http://www-formal.stanford.edu/jmc/progress/
Ji...@pop.edu
de...@vexcel.com (Dean Myerson) wrote:
>In article <4ltjd2$r...@peabody.colorado.edu> kass...@stripe.Colorado.EDU (KASSARJIAN STEVEN J) writes:
>>In article <DqI04r.I...@indra.com>, Evan D Ravitz <ev...@indra.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>I always notice and avoid the Syntex smell so common on the Boulder Creek
>>>Path past the tunnel under the Railroad. I assume, since it is always the
>>>same sweet smell, it is used to cover-up the other stuff they emit.
>>>Anybody know what it is?
>>
>>Reality check, here.
>>
>I work in this area (Vexcel is just north of the Humane Society) and my
>guess is that Evan is probably smelling the famous chicken farm which is
>just to the north on Valmont. Or maybe the Humane Society?
>--
> -- Dean Myerson
>(de...@vexcel.com) (http://www.vexcel.com)
I would just add that in the spring of 1987 Syntex was under active
investigation for significant RCRA and CWA violations stemming from
its activties north of Boulder, so the history of concerns with this
company is somewhat historical. If you want more info, call Dan
Sherman, who may or may still be with the Colorado AG's office and who
was dealing with this case. 'Nuff said. The evidence is there; you
just have to find the people who have it.
Len Gaska
In article <4me3ga$t...@boulder.earthnet.net>,
.....
>
>Do you understand the history of civil disobedience and its
importance
>in a democracy?
>
Do YOU understand that civil disobedience implies that you
are willing to accept the consequences of your actions? And
not whine about it afterwards?
Your group does have the right to protest Syntex. But break
the law by trespassing and you best be willing to gracefully
accept the consequences, whether they be intended or not.
Len Gaska
ga...@nilenet.com or lga...@vnet.ibm.com
http://www.nilenet.com/~gaska/
pager: 1-800-827-9450
Dan Duncan
As I recall, Kelvin Fedrick (fed...@anchor.cs.colorado.edu) wrote:
->What evidence!? He locked himself to a gate with a ulock around his neck!
->As I said, that action could have easily resulted in serious injury or death
->without anyone lifting a finger. What do you think would have happened if he
->tripped?
They should have played it right and called the psych squad claiming
they had someone out front trying to commit suicide. They can lock
him up for, what, 72 hours for "observation" against his will? Much
better than arresting him, as he can't even get out on bail. :)
-DanD
--
# Dan D (kd4igw) da...@rmii.com da...@frottage.com
# Real knowledge is to know the extent of ones ignorance.
# CONFUCIUS