Opinion | Write Team: Are we condemned to repeat the same mistake?

Posted on by Protect Starved Rock and the Illinois Valley

By Paul Wheeler, Shaw Local News

March 27, 2023

“Potassium permanganate. It is an oxidizer used throughout the country in the water purification process. The highlights of its classification include its ability to intensify fires and its known potential for explosion when in contact with combustible substances….

Following the Jan. 11 Carus explosion in La Salle, plans were made to move all stored materials from the La Salle location to an alternative site. Though investigation of the fire and explosion has not been completed, it might be fair to assume potassium permanganate was involved, with Carus being the largest producer of the substance in the country and the fact it was a substance released in the fire’s aftermath.

Oddly, that “alternative storage site” has turned out to be in the very midst of three of Ottawa’s primary elementary schools. Two of those schools, Central and Shepherd, are 300 yards from the main storage building. McKinley Elementary School is located approximately two blocks away….

There are about 1,000 students occupying all three schools on any given day. Young minds utterly unaware of the decisions being made on their behalf, or not being made on their behalf, by the adults in charge. Yet, given all the warehousing alternatives present in spacious La Salle County, why would one prefer a site so closely situated to so many vulnerable children? It boggles the mind.

Read the full article: 👇

https://www.shawlocal.com/mywebtimes/opinion/columns/2023/03/27/write-team-are-we-condemned-to-repeat-the-same-mistake/

Carus Chemical Refuses to give Insurance Company Name to City of LaSalle

Posted on by Protect Starved Rock and the Illinois Valley
Photo Credit: EPA

Carus Chemicals is refusing to give the City of LaSalle the name of their insurance company after the fire and explosion that caused chemicals and heavy metals to rain on residents’ homes and yards.

In response to Sierra Club’s testing of furnace filters from residents’ homes, which revealed barium, lead, copper, zinc, mercury and other heavy metals in residents homes after the fire, Brownfield Engineering, the environmental consulting firm hired by the City of LaSalle, is recommending testing 24 furnace filters for more chemicals and metals at a cost of $80,000.

News Tribune Article, March 24, 2023:

Carus ‘refuses’ to name its insurance provider, La Salle city officials say, Olivia Doak.

““Because we work with several insurance providers and we wanted to avoid unnecessary confusion while streamlining the process, we worked with them to hire the Davies Group to facilitate all claims,” Carus said in a statement Friday….

“”I assume Carus, as a good partner of the city of La Salle, would’ve presented who’s insuring them. So, that’s an issue. It’s a huge issue to residents of the city of La Salle and an affront to a sitting alderman,” Alderman Bob Thompson said. …Without knowing who the insurance provider is, Thompson said, there’s no way to know whether the insurance adjusters coming to residents’ homes are associated with a state licensed insurance company. Thompson said he recommends that residents not to talk to anyone who comes to their door unless they show they’re representing a licensed company.

“Make sure you’re getting identification, make sure you’re getting credentials,” La Salle Mayor Jeff Grove said. … Grove said he and other city officials thought it was “unusual” that Carus didn’t disclose the name of its insurance provider.

Full article: https://www.shawlocal.com/news-tribune/2023/03/24/carus-refuses-to-name-its-insurance-provider-la-salle-city-officials-say/?fbclid=IwAR0cgSnqhu0SwX-8D8Orkhud-W2xb8B2w7Fd1O4rtWoRAOepA2va97ednoA

Smoke and flames billowing out of the Carus Chemical Factory from the explosion and chemical fire in LaSalle, Illinois Janu 11, 2023
Carus Chemical Fire January 11, 2023
Firemen and workers outside of Carus Chemical in LaSalle, Illinois, as smoke and fire billow after the chemical factory exploded0 January 11, 2023 in La Salle, Illinois
Firemen and workers outside of Carus Chemical in LaSalle, Illinois

Is Toxic Wastewater From Carus Chemicals Manufacturing Plant in LaSalle, Illinois, Contaminating the Vermillion River & Ending Up In The Gulf of Mexico?

Posted on by Protect Starved Rock and the Illinois Valley

How much toxic waste from the Carus Chemical plant in La Salle, Illinois, ends up in the Vermillion River, pictured in these photographs, right next to Carus’ wastewater lagoons?

The Vermillion empties into the Illinois River just a few miles from Carus Chemicals’ LaSalle manufacturing plant. The Illinois River empties into the Mississippi River.

The Mississippi River empties into the Gulf of Mexico .

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), there is a 6,334 square mile dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico, an area of low oxygen which kills marine life. https://oceantoday.noaa.gov/deadzonegulf-2021/welcome.html#:~:text=The%202021%20Gulf%20of%20Mexico,over%20the%20past%20five%20years.

Agriculture chemical runoff has been blamed for this dead zone, but have chemical factories, industrial polluters and mines along rivers that connect to the Mississippi River been taken into consideration or studied for their contribution to the dead zone?

The effects of Carus Chemicals’ actions have consequences far beyond LaSalle.

Chemical Wastewater Pipe Discharging into the Vermillion River from Carus Chemical

Visit Protect Starved Rock to learn more:

Blog: http://www.protectstarvedrock.wordpress.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ProtectStarvedRock

Don’t Be Fooled by Local Food and Craft Beer at Tangled Roots.

Posted on by Protect Starved Rock and the Illinois Valley

Tangled Roots is one of many companies owned by Inga Carus, CEO of Carus Chemical.

Don’t be fooled by local food and craft beer at Tangled Roots in Ottawa. https://tangledrootsbrewingco.com/about-us/

CL Enterprises. the parent company of Tangled Roots and the Lone Buffalo, is owned by Inga Carus, the CEO of Carus Chemical, LLC, in LaSalle, Illinois. https://cl-enterprises.com/who-we-are/

According to CL’s website, they’re committed to investing in small towns. https://cl-enterprises.com/

However, LaSalle residents say CL does not maintain their properties, and they have several unfinished projects downtown, including the historic Kaskaskia Hotel building, which they purchased from the city for $1 in 2003, and have not done anything with. The once stately hotel is deteriorating in downtown LaSalle.

In addition, Carus has not taken responsibility for damage or cleanup of residents homes and property after the Carus Chemical plant blew up on January 11 and rained chemicals onto the community.

Tangled Roots, the Lone Buffalo and CL Enterprises are just a few of many companies that are owned by Inga Carus. https://cl-red.com/projects/

EPA: Carus Chemical Too Big to Fail

Posted on by Protect Starved Rock and the Illinois Valley

Carus Chemical is the only producer of potassium permanganate and sodium permanganate in the Western Hemisphere.

This explains a lot about the lack of accountability, and the City of LaSalle bending over backwards and covering for Carus as residents became aware of illegally stored product in a crumbling building behind their homes.

Because of its unique geology and minerals, La Salle County, Illinois, has become a center for resource extraction and chemical manufacturing.

LaSalle 4th Ward Former Alderman Mark Schneider on Sierra Club at LaSalle City Council Meeting

Posted on by Protect Starved Rock and the Illinois Valley

LaSalle 4th Ward former alderman Mark Schneider gives his thoughts on the Sierra Club‘s presentation at the LaSalle City Council meeting on Monday, March 6

“Now that we have test results, not only do these air filters to show all these heavy metals, we have soil test results from a yard that was cleaned up in the EPA Superfund cleanup, and now with soil testing has shown that it has actually a higher heavy metal contents than it did prior to the superfund cleanup.” 

Sierra Club Presentation – LaSalle City Hall Meeting – March 6, 2023 Full Audio & Slideshow

Posted on by Protect Starved Rock and the Illinois Valley
    sierra-club-city-of-lasalle-march-6-2023-mtg-presentationDownload
    sc-carus-fact-sheet-march-2023Download

    LS Council gets tough analysis of Carus fire Monday night

    by: John Small, Starved Rock Media, March 7, 2023

    LaSalle City Council got grim numbers about the Carus Chemical fire Monday night. At Mayor Jeff Grove’s invitation, the Sierra Club‘s MIla Kellen Marshall P.hD and Denise Trabbic-Pointer spoke to the Council about testing done immediately after the January 11th fire. Speaking by phone from Michigan, Trabbic-Pointer said particulate matter was sampled for about 19 hours after the blaze.

    This dust is so fine, she said, it gets into the deepest parts of the lungs. More troubling said Trabbic-Pointer, were results showing levels 12 points above the 24-hour regulatory limit. Later, an examination of eight furnace filters taken from affected homes showed the presence of the metals Barium, Copper, Lead, Manganese and Zinc. Alderman Jim Bacidore asked Trabbic-Pointer is it safe outside for kids and pets:

    For almost two hours, residents whose property took the brunt of the chemical laden smoke, took more shots at Carus and sometimes the city. The question of legal action against Carus was discussed. City Attorney Jim McPhedran said it’s something that’s costly and a deeply involved process. Carus Chemical officials continue to duck City Council meetings.

    Photo Credit: Jamie Hicks
    Photo Credit: Katie Dumke Troccoli

    EPA Test Results & Sierra Club analysis of chemical samples taken 1/12/23 following the Carus Chemical explosion & fire

    Carus Chemical results 1Download
    Carus Chemical results 2Download
    2023-01-11 W0990300006 Laboratory ResultsDownload
    2023-01-12 W0990300006 Laboratory Results_RedactedDownload
    23A0170 Carus FINAL 01 30 23 1433Download
    Environmental Summary Report 2-7-2023Download
    23A0170 FINAL EXCEL 30 Jan 23 1433Download

    Careless Carus Chemical had another Spill

    Posted on by Protect Starved Rock and the Illinois Valley

      March 6, 2023

      Less than eight weeks after the Carus Chemical fire and chemical plant explosion in LaSalle, Illinois, Carus had another chemical spill.

      The purple chemical on the road, near the end of the video, is one of several chemicals that fell onto peoples’ homes, cars, and yards in January from a chemical cloud that formed during the explosion and fire at Carus.

      This same purple chemicals is being released by the factory in LaSalle into the Little Vermilion River. The Little Vermillion empties into the Illinois River.

      Carus also owns a landfill along the Illinois River, which is believed to be leaching toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the river.

      The Illinois River empties into the Mississippi River, then into Gulf of Mexico, where there is a 6,334 square mile dead zone. NOAA: https://oceantoday.noaa.gov/deadzonegulf-2021/welcome.html?fbclid=IwAR0_i58Gde813KEsDG2DSrdMxmWv3qwp_IGbDMl8WKUqz3f-rxIBb-FDTMI#:~:text=The%202021%20Gulf%20of%20Mexico,over%20the%20past%20five%20years

      Farmers have been blamed for the Gulf dead zone.

      How much do Carus Chemical and other polluters contribute to this dead zone?

      Carus is one of many polluters, which include manufacturers and mining companies that release toxic waste into the Illinois River near La Salle, Illinois.

      The building in the video that resembles the Adams’ Family home is the Hegeler Carus Mansion, built in 1876 and considered “one of the Midwest’s great Second Empire structures,” according to the website. https://lnkd.in/gqdbyHBE

      To learn more about Carus Chemical and industrial and mining pollution in the Illinois Valley. Visit our blog: https://lnkd.in/gNsx3BHq

      Photos by: Marty Schneider

      Carus Chemical Safety Data Sheets

      Posted on by Protect Starved Rock and the Illinois Valley

      Below are Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for chemicals manufactured and stored at Carus Chemical’s plant in LaSalle, Illinois, and stored at the former South Towne Mall, now known as Lotz Storage, in Ottawa, Illinois.

      potassium-permanganate-sdsDownload
      sds-sodium-permanganateDownload
      sodium.fluorosilicate.solvay-sdsDownload
      manganese-sds-1Download
      manganese-sulfate-sdsDownload
      sodium-acid-pyrophoshate-sapp-sdsDownload
      zinc-oxide-sdsDownload
      copper-sulfate-sdsDownload
      soda_ash_sdsDownload
      sds-phosphate-buffer-salts-2-12-18Download
      caruse284a2-8500Download
      sodium-hexametaphosphate-shmp-sdsDownload
      carus-4200Download
      sodium-trimetaphosphate-sdsDownload

      LaSalle Former Alderman Speaks Out About Careless Carus Chemical in his 3rd video since the chemical explosion and fire

      Posted on by Protect Starved Rock and the Illinois Valley

      LaSalle 4th Ward former alderman has produced a 3rd video with his thoughts about Carus Chemical and the City of LaSalle after the Carus Chemical explosion and chemical fire.

      “My advice to the people running for office in LaSalle next month, it applies to newbies and currently sitting aldermen as well. People have taken note of who has taken up for the residents and who has not…this isn’t a topic you can sit out because it isn’t going away no matter how badly Carus wants it to.” – Mark Schneider

      TONIGHT!!!
      Town Hall Meeting
      6:30p, Monday, March 6
      LaSalle City Hall
      745 2nd St, LaSalle, IL

      Sierra Club will present filter test results and discuss health effects of the metals and chemicals found in furnace filters and EPA samples.

      Sierra Club has also announced they will test more filters.
      Help with cost is available.

      This is a community issue that involves more than just LaSalle.

      Emissions from Carus’ plumes are carried by the wind throughout LaSalle, Peru and surrounding rural areas. Chemicals from the explosion also landed on homes in Dimmick.

      Chemicals manufactured at Carus are now being stored at the former South Towne Mall in Ottawa, and the waste from their plant is being taken to a landfill in Ottawa, which we believe is leaching toxic chemicals and heavy metals into the Illinois River.

      The chemicals and metals the Sierra Club will discuss, and were present in the filters, are recorded in EPA reports as emissions coming from Carus’ plumes.

      This is a multi-community issue.