The Toxic Threat: Can It Happen Here?

In light of the recent ecological disaster to Europe’s Rhine River, caused by a massive chemical fire and water runoff in Basel. Switzerland, several individuals and organizations are wondering whether the same thing could happen in Dallas.

One fact seems to lend some credibility to those fears. A local firm, Zoecon Industries, located in far northwest Dallas, is owned by the same chemical and pharmaceutical conglomerate that sent mercury and other toxic substances oozing into the Rhine. Zoecon’s plant is immediately adjacent to Farmers Branch Creek, which feeds into the Trinity River, the major drinking water source for the City of Dallas. The company, which manufactures pesticides for agricultural, commercial, and consumer markets, has been the subject of several studies by state and federal regulatory agencies. Zoecon has also undergone scrutiny by the city of Farmers Branch, starting when the city announced plans to locate a historical park immediately north of the creek that serves as a boundary between Farmers Branch and Dallas.

The Texas Water Commission conducted tests on the topsoil in the park area and concluded that various small amounts of a number of chemicals and pesticides, some of them hazardous, existed in the soil. The topsoil was removed by the time the park was dedicated in September.

Zoecon officials maintain that many of the chemicals have been buried in the soil for a number of years. And they believe that the great majority of the chemicals found, among which are DDT. dieldrin, Ronnel. and tox-aphene, are the result of many years of agricultural use in the Farmers Branch Creek watershed when it was primarily farm and ranch land.

However. Farmers Branch resident Shane Jackson, found er of a group that calls itself CATS (Citizens Against The Silence), continues to oppose the present location of Zoecon and maintains that the park, the creek, and ultimately the Dallas water system are in danger of contamination.

“The worst-case scenario,” says Jackson, “would involve the same circumstances that happened in Basel where water runoff from firelight ing efforts would find its way into the creek. 1 really don’t think that water could be contained before an appreciable amount flowed into the Trinity River and ultimately the Dallas wafer system.”

The Zoecon question has drawn the attention of Dallas City Councilman Jim Richards and Richard Larsen, a member of the Dallas Environmental Health Commission.

Larsen, whose group has no regulatory power, believes that the parallel between Zoecon and the Basel incident stops with their common ownership by Sandoz Inc. “Zoecon just isn’t capable of experiencing an accident the magnitude of what happened in Switzerland.”

Sandoz chemist Dr. Craig Burrell also rejects any Basel-Farmers Branch parallel. “You’re really comparing apples and oranges,” says Burrell. “The Sandoz operation in Basel is a manufacturing and storage facility. Zoecon is mainly an assembly area about one-tenth the size of the Basel properly.”

But the implications of the Basel incident have not been lost on Zoecon, according to company officials. “Shortly after Basel we reviewed our fire prevention and fighting procedures.” says Zoecon president Joe Lav in. “And the results of that reevaluation have underscored to us that we have a very safe plant.”

Councilman Richards stresses the proximity of the plant to the creek as the major issue. “The fact that this plant site is where it is, is reason enough for concern. Whether or not it proves to be justified in the long run still doesn’t make it any less of a concern today.”

Meanwhile, the Texas Water Commission is concluding studies on the topsoil in the historical park in addition to contaminated underground water beneath Zoecon. In March, the TWC ordered Zoecon to formulate a plan for underground water containment and cleanup. Seven months later. Zoecon officials revealed their plan. It involves the construction of two underground dikes to prevent water movement, a pump filtration system that will clean the water, and the use of existing monitoring wells to provide data regarding the cleanup. Once underway, the program is expected to take at least five years to rid the water of the chemical pollutants.

“Our current findings show no immediate or long-term threat to the area by Zoecon,” says TWC’s Bill Colbert. “The water system seems to be safe, barring any unforeseen surprises. Right now we’re making sure those findings are not in error. We’re checking our work.”

“The water system seems to be safe,barring any unforeseensurprises. We’re checking our work.”

-Bill Colbert, TWC