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The Stericycle Press Conference, May 25,
2010, hosted by BREDL and the Haw River Assembly.
The press conference concerning the public hearing and
permit renewal for the Stericycle medical waste
incinerator took place at A Storybook Farm Christian
School, a day care center located a few miles from
the incinerator. Speakers included Sue Dayton,
Coordinator, NC Healthy Communities; Elaine Chiosso, Haw
Riverkeeper/Haw River Assembly; and Heather Bjork, a
mother, teacher, and resident of Alamance County. Beverly
Kerr, the owner of A Storybook Farm, moderated
the conference.
Sue Dayton presented a table which showed the reductions
in the current limits for air pollutants being released
at the Stericycle medical wasted incinerator compared
with the new limits for air pollutants under the new EPA
rules. She pointed out that the current standards for air
pollutants have been deemed unsafe by the EPA, and a
permit issued to Stericycle under those standards would
be unacceptable.
Elaine Chiosso spoke about the impacts of mercury
emissions from Stericycle on surface waters. She said
that many people continue to fish from NC’s
mercury-impaired rivers and are eating contaminated fish,
with some of the contamination a result of mercury
emissions from Stericycle.
Heather Bjork spoke about the health effects of air
pollutants from Stericycle on unborn babies, infants and
children. She explained that developing fetuses, infants
and children are most at risk from the health effects of
mercury, lead, dioxins and furans that cause cancer,
respiratory illnesses and other developmental problems.
She stressed that ninety-seven percent of medical waste
does not need to be incinerated, and that safer, more
environmentally-friendly methods exist for the treatment
of medical waste.
Heather’s children, nine-year-old Kieran and
six-year-old Kendra Bjork, presented a NOTICE OF
INFRINGEMENT to Stericycle President and CEO Mark Miller
(alias Chris Carter, Mr. Puppethead). The NOTICE asked
Stericycle for millions of dollars in restitution to be
sent to the “current and future citizens of North
Carolina” for increased illnesses and disease;
impacts to surface waters, drinking water, and farmlands;
increased numbers of emergency room visits and
hospitalizations; lost worker productivity and loss of
property values, concerning the continued costs of air
pollution from the Stericycle incinerator on public
health and the environment.
The event was covered by the Burlington Times-News, and
was published on the front page as the lead
story the following day.
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More info:
Kieran and Kendra Bjork presented a NOTICE OF INFRINGEMENT to Stericycle President and CEO Mark Miller (alias Chris Carter, Mr. Puppethead).
Heather Bjork letter to Stericycle
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