July 23, 2020
Press Release from NoBurnBroome.com
Today NoBurnBroome.com received a report from an environmental group in South Korea that SungEel has not given Endicott residents the whole truth on its Gunsan operation. The report was translated by GAIA (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives).
At a July 2nd Zoom meeting, Danish Mir, president of SungEel MCC Americas, claimed that its sister plant in South Korea had 10 years of “safe and clean” operation. However, the South Korean report that NoBurnBroome received indicates that they had a fire in 2015 and an incident on May 13, 2009 when sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide were released from the facility.
The worrying thing about this information according to John Ruspantini, a member of the Science Team at NoBurnBroome is that “such releases might not have been too serious in their Gunsan, South Korea, facility because their site borders the sea and is about 3 miles from the nearest residential community. In Endicott we have people living across the street. Breathing in sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide would not be good for children with asthmatic conditions. ”
According to Ruspantini, “reports of this incident and the fire run contrary to the need for things to be working perfectly all the time in this precarious location in Endicott.”
Another finding from the report that disturbed NoBurnBroome: “The working conditions are poor, which results in frequent quitting of workers.” According to George Fiedler, another member of NoBurnBroome, we have been told that the benefit to Endicott is 20 jobs (which may rise to 80 or 100 in 5 years), but if the jobs are dangerous and the working conditions are poor that is not much of a benefit to offset the loss of property values and the health risks of the air emissions and the risks of fires.”
Paul Connett, also with the group’s Science Team, added, “What I found disturbing is the information that SungEel has two facilities in Gunsan: an old facility which has smokestacks and a newer one that doesn’t. This suggests to me that they are exporting the dirty part of their operations to Endicott and saving the cleaner operation for themselves.”
“This new first-hand information” according to NoBurnBroome’s Ellen Tiberi, “adds even greater urgency for people to join our “SungEel to Go Home” march and rally on Saturday July 25, meeting at 11:30 am by the Johnny Logan baseball field, 900 Watson Blvd. in Endicott.
The following response was translated by GAIA (Global Alternatives to Incineration)
- 선생님이 이야기 한데로 바닷가 근처에 있고 민가와는 멀리 떨어져 있습니다.
As you’ve told us, the plant is near the shore and far from residential areas.
- 옛날에 지어진 공장에는 굴뚝 두개가 있습니다. 높이는 20~30m정도 되어 보입니다.
100m 넘게 보이는 굴뚝은 조금 떨어진 곳에 한화 민간 발전소가 있어서 그렇습니다.
There are two stacks in the older facility and they seem to be about 20-30 meters tall. (65-100 feet)
The tall (over 300 feet) stack in the photo belongs to a private power plant owned by Hanwha.
- 큰 도로는 왕복 8차선이고,그옆에 공장이 있습니다.
The wide road is a 8-lane highway and located near the plant.
- 옛공장 이나 신 공장 정문은 큰도로에서 꺽어지면 2차선인데 2차선에 있습니다.
The older facility and the main gate of the new facility are located near a 2-lane highway that is branched off the 8-lane highway.
- 옛공장 건너편에 신 공장이 최근에 세워져 가동되고 있습니다.
On the opposite side of the old facility is a newer facility which is in operation.
- 신공장에는 굴뚝이 없읍니다.
The newer facility doesn’t have a stack.
- 이공장 바로 옆에는 계열사가 있습니다.
Next to the plant is a subsidiary company.
- 공장 정문에 갔을때 냄세가 났습니다. 그러나 이 냄세가이공장 때문인지는 정확히 알 수 없습니다. 이공장에서 일하는 노동자를 만자지 못했기 때문입니다.
We sensed an odor near the main gate. We are not sure if the odor comes from SungEel plant because we weren’t able to meet any workers.
우리가 확인한 바로는
What we’ve found out so far:
- 2013년 5월 18일 . 황산 저장탱크 이송밸브 아상으로 35세제곱미터와 과산화수소 13.5세제곱미터 누출사고.
May 18, 2013 – Releases of sulfuric acid (35 cubic meters, caused by malfunction of the transfer valve) and hydrogen peroxide (13.5 cubic meters)
- 2015. 07. 09. 화재사고 발생.
A fire was reported on July 9, 2015.
- 근무환경이 안좋아 퇴사하는 노동자가 자주 있다고 함.
The working conditions are poor, which results in frequent quitting of workers.
* 참고로 이회사 사장의 형이 국회의원이고, 현 여당인 더불어 민주당의 2019년 원내대표였다고 알려져 있습니다.
FYI. The older brother of the owner of the company is an assemblyman and is known to have served as the representative of the ruling party in 2019.
-이상입니다. 작은 도움이라도 되었으면 합니다.
Hope this information could be helpful.
-end
NoBurnBroome 