Bryan objects to plan to ship waste to Beatty dump

Friday, May 21, 1999 | 5:03 a.m.

Bryan has sent a letter to American Ecology Corp., saying the company's plan is "misguided."

"This is a clear example of the efforts of some in corporate America to make our state their official dumping ground," Bryan said. "We have got to draw the line in the sand when these types of outrageous proposals are continually heaped on Nevada."

Bryan noted that efforts by Formosa Plastics Corp. to dump the highly contaminated sludge laced with poisonous mercury have been rejected by Cambodia and California.

"While the practice of U.S. companies importing hazardous waste from other nations is in itself very questionable, your company's proposal to accept highly toxic sludge is particularly egregious," Bryan said in a letter to American Ecology Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jack Lemley.

American Ecology is the parent company of the Beatty dump's operator, US Ecology.

Lemley said the company contracted with Formosa Plastics to dispose of 7,233 tons of the waste if it meets provisions of the state Environmental Protection Division and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

"US Ecology has worked very hard the last two decades to abide by those laws and regulations," Lemley said in a letter to Bryan. "We are proud of our record of compliance which is available for your review."

Bryan promised to "take any necessary steps" to block the shipment of the waste to Nevada.

In a May 18 letter to federal EPA Administrator Carol Browning, the head of the Republic of China Environmental Protection Agency said his country has no approved landfills to deal with the type of wastes produced by Formosa Plastics.

"We know that the U.S. has stringent environmental regulations and many companies with advanced techniques of dealing with industrial wastes, as well as many qualified landfills to be used," Hsung-Hsiun Tsai said in a letter to Browner.