Another possible arsenic case in Blackville

Jan. 9, 2009

Another suspected arsenic poisoning case may have occurred in Blackville as residents continue to wait for answers.

Department of Health spokesperson Meghan Cumby said health officials did receive a report of a possible fifth case and continue to discuss it with the treating physicians.

"We are aware of the possible fifth case, but before we are able to confirm it we have to collect more data."

Since May, four cases of arsenic poisoning have been confirmed in the Digby Street/Shaeffer Lane area of Blackville and no cause has been identified.

Cumby said the field epidemiologist will give a preliminary analysis of the case once he analyzes all the data.

"We're not able to confirm it at this point."

Cumby didn't know when the department heard about the possible fifth case.

Village Coun. Jake Stewart found out about it Tuesday afternoon and said he was surprised to see a story in Wednesday's Miramichi Leader that said officials had no other cases to report.

People need to know if there is arsenic in their blood because they need treatment if it is, he said.

"We just need answers."

Stewart said there are a lot of people who have children in the area where the previous cases have occurred and it's sad they haven't received any answers yet.

"People are scared."

There are people who sent their tests away in November and still haven't received results, he said and added there is still no known source of the arsenic yet.

"That's the most important thing."

As of yesterday Southwest Miramichi MLA Rick Brewer said he hadn't heard anything directly from anyone affected by the latest possible case.

"I hear a rumour."

Brewer said he would like to see the results of all the testing immediately, but the lab is in Ontario and out of his jurisdiction.

"When it's in another jurisdiction it's kind of hard to control the process."

The government has little control over what a lab does in Ontario Brewer said, and added the lab does work for several jurisdictions.

"This is a unique situation."

Brewer said it's a tough situation for people because they don't know what is happening and he understands the issue of not knowing.

"It's tough for the people affected."

He met with Health Minister Michael Murphy Wednesday, but the issue is they are relying on Health Canada for answers, he said.

"Until we have a source it's hard to eradicate the issue."

Tobacco out of sight but not out of mind

Jan. 9, 2009

New regulations calling on stores to hide their tobacco products from the view of customers is causing headaches for some local merchants.

At N & J Convenience, the manager said the province did not give retailers enough time to comply with the new rules.

Manager Nick Pitre said his store would have covered up the cigarettes if the government had given them enough time to get the flaps and coverings necessary.

"They just didn't," Pitre said.

The familiar wall of cigarettes in convenience stores is a thing of the past thanks to new provincial guidelines.

Most customers around the Miramichi were met with a blank wall where the tobacco used to be since the regulations went into effect Jan. 1.

But at Pitre's store the display was still visible while he waited for the covering he expected to receive and install today.

Pitre said he made at least six calls to government officials before the regulations went into effect and was told to do nothing until everything was finalized.

"Basically we were told to wait on it," he said.

While he realizes there may be a fine for not covering the cigarettes, Pitre said he tried to comply with the regulations.

"We have made every possible step to make sure it's taken care of as quickly as possible," Pitre added.

Before the regulations went into effect, one of the tobacco companies was offering coverings to retailers, but Pitre said the contract stated the retailer would be responsible if the covering didn't meet the provincial guidelines.

"It kind of put us in a rock or a hard place," he said.

Pitre said he has heard some retailers have been using garbage bags to cover up their tobacco until they get their coverings in place, but he didn't think it looked professional.

"It looks bad," he said.

Once everything is ready, there won't be much change in the store once and he didn't think it will affect sales, he said.

"There will be minimal change to the display space," he explained.

Pitre said as far as he was concerned he would like to be compliant with the new guidelines.

"I don't want to seem like we're being arrogant about this law," he said.

Bill's Kwik Way is one of the stores that has complied with the changes with a dark curtain hanging over the tobacco display.

Nancy Comeau, the store's manager, said some customers don't know if they still sell cigarettes and the staff can't tell them what they do sell unless a customer asks, so it has affected their sales.

"I find it doesn't seem to be as much," she said of tobacco sales.

The store downsized its display from three racks to two when the regulations went into effect so they wouldn't have to put the curtain all the way across the display, she said.

"Some people don't even smoke [and] they just think it looks ridiculous, Comeau said.

Family Convenience clerk Rhonda MacDonald said it seems weird to have to cover the tobacco and the government should have banned it or limited sales to smoke shops if they didn't want people to see it.

"I don't see a need for it," MacDonald said.

The store's tobacco display is covered by flaps over every shelf and a display window on the front of the counter is covered to hide the tobacco products behind it.

Staff can open the flaps to get cigarettes out for customers, but have to fill the shelves when nobody is there, she said.

"Which is almost impossible," she explained.

Brian Harris, a Family Convenience customer and smoker, said he thought the store looked empty with the wall covered.

"I think it depreciates the look of the store," he said.

Harris knew the cigarettes were there, even though they were covered and said it won't discourage people from smoking.

"If people are going to smoke they're going to smoke," he said.

Harris said not being able to advertise won't stop people from smoking either because advertising doesn't draw people to smoke.

"It's not going to impact anything," he said.

Caitlin MacDonald, another customer and a non-smoker, said she didn't know about the new regulations and wondered why the cigarettes were covered up.

"I think it's good," she said. "It's hid from the younger kids."

She said it should have an impact on kids who would see the cigarettes and wonder about them.

Rhonda said they put the flaps up early in December and haven't noticed a change in sales since the new regulations started.

"It's only been in effect for five days," she said.

The changes infringe on a customers right to buy what they want and it's like people choosing what they want to watch on television.

"It's not a deterrent," she said.

Arsenic poses no health risk: medical officer; More cases found in Blackville

Jan. 12, 2009

More cases of high levels of arsenic have been found in Blackville residents but they don't pose a health risk, says an official with the Department of Health.

Regional medical officer Dr. Denis Allard was busy answering questions Friday as he spoke to Blackville village council in a conference call and later held one with the media to address concerns over the recent cases of elevated arsenic levels.

During the call with the media, Allard said tests were done before Christmas and although they are still waiting for all of the results, three more people show higher than normal levels of arsenic in their systems.

"Some of the results are starting to trickle in."

The latest test results bring the number of people in Blackville who have tested positive for elevated arsenic levels since May to seven, with the first four living in the Digby Street/Shaeffer Lane.

Allard could not confirm if the latest cases were also in the same area.

During the call, Allard said only one person tested so far in Blackville has shown symptoms related to arsenic and investigators usually look at symptoms before they make a link to toxicity.

"It's just preliminary results."

Arsenic can be classified as either organic or inorganic, with the inorganic form considered to be the most toxic.

Organic arsenic is sometimes found in food, most often in seafood or shellfish, and Health Canada does not consider it to be of concern to human health, but it is an issue they have addressed in the past.

Last March, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Loblaws issued a recall of two brands of pear juice found to have higher than normal levels of organic arsenic.

Health Canada told the public they consider short-term exposure as a period of several weeks to several months. They consider long-term exposure to be several years or decades.

Allard said investigators are looking at possible food sources of the arsenic, but Blackville residents have tested with high levels of the organic form and people shouldn't worry about it because the body is able to excrete organic arsenic quickly, unlike the inorganic form.

"If it's food it would be organic and we would not expect to see any symptoms of it."

With the three new cases, however, investigators have only confirmed one had elevated levels of organic arsenic because they jut have a total level which doesn't differentiate between the forms, he said.

"The two other cases we just have a total on the urine so we're still waiting for the lab to provide us with the differentiation."

Allard didn't know what effect prolonged exposure to organic arsenic would have and said he can only go by Health Canada's guidelines.

"I feel if it was a concern they wouldn't put this sort of statement on their website."

Although there are many possible food sources, the investigation's focus is on seafood, which has been known for a long time to contain arsenic, he said.

"That's all I know."

Allard said they will keep testing to try to find a source of the arsenic, even if it isn't a health concern and he hasn't heard when they will stop the investigation.

"I cannot say right now when we're gonna stop."

Blackville councillor Jake Stewart attended the conference call held with the village and said it shouldn't take so long for people to get answers about the arsenic cases.

"It should be a priority."

During the call, council was told they will get more information next week, but people want answers now, Stewart said.

"The whole thing is really grey right now."

New paint recycling program announced

Jan. 12, 2009

The familiar sight of paint splattered buckets piled in garages and basements may become a thing of the past thanks to a new recycling program.

Last week, Recycle New Brunswick announced they are starting the first phase of a new initiative to recycle paint.

Recycle New Brunswick vice-chair Yves Gagnon said producers are responsible for the paint until it is sold, when it then it becomes the consumer's responsibility.

"A lot of it ends up in nature or the solid waste commissions."

But under the new system, it becomes the producer's responsibility to take back and recycle used paint into a product that has value, he said.

"You create a market for recycled paint."

During the first phase, paint producers identified an agent who will submit a proposal to Recycle New Brunswick on how they will collect used paint from consumers. The goal is to set up depots around the province where people can drop off old paint.

Gagnon said the different solid waste commissions around the province treat paint as a hazardous material and they dispose of most of it through burning. People often store the paint until their local solid waste commission has a hazardous waste pick-up day, he said.

"With the new system there's going to be a continuous system in places to recycle paint."

Gagnon said it is the first time in North America paint producers came together to work on a plan to recycle paint.

"That's quite innovative."

People are becoming more concerned about the environment and need to be educated about paint recycling, he said.

"We need to capitalize on the fact that the population is changing."

When reached for comment, Northumberland Solid Waste Commission waste reduction coordinator Amy Muzzerall didn't have any more information about the new program yet than the public did, but said product stewardship programs, like the recycling program, always benefit the people who pay the bills.

"I think it's very positive for all communities involved because it's very expensive to dispose of paint."

The Northumberland Solid Waste Commission collects paint in June and September during their regular hazardous waste pick-up and Muzzerall said she doesn't know yet how the program will work once it is implemented.

"I would imagine there's some cost savings in there, essentially for tax payers."

Muzzerall said the solid waste commission used two different companies in the past to dispose of the paint collected during the pick-up.

"The paint does get recycled."

Since she doesn't know the specifics of the new program, Muzzerall said she is making the assumption the solid waste commission will continue with the hazardous pick-ups until they hear otherwise.

"Since our next event's not until June we have quite a bit of time."

Ocean Spray bringing cranberries to Rogersville

Jan. 12, 2009

A sour berry could soon bring sweet rewards to the Rogersville area thanks to an American juice maker.

Ocean Spray has been working on a plan to use the bogs around Despres Lake to grow cranberries in what could turn into their largest growing operation in North America.

Rogersville mayor Bertrand LeBlanc said the plan would cover over 8,000 acres with an initial company investment of $15 million and a total of $100 million over a five-year period.

"It's a major project."

The road leading to the lake was slippery and snow covered last week and a thick blanket of snow covered the bog around Despres Lake where Ocean Spray plans to set up shop.

LeBlanc first heard about the project around September, but said he wasn't able to talk about it until Ocean Spray submitted their environmental assessment application. He said he spoke with the environment department first, but has since spoken with representatives from Ocean Spray.

"They're real happy to come."

Work around Despres Lake should start around April and create 100 jobs over a five-year period, LeBlanc said, but it all hinges on the results of the environmental impact assessment.

"They need that before they get the green light."

LeBlanc said he will approach the company to have value added to the project, like having juice bottled or packaged in Rogersville.

"We would like to see that in the future."

The Ocean Spray project is a major announcement for the Rogersville area and LeBlanc compared it to the recent announcement from a solar panel manufacturer in Miramichi.

"People are happy about it."

LeBlanc said the village hopes to have a long relationship with Ocean Spray and added what is good for Rogersville is good for the Miramichi.

"We're happy to have them here."

Rogersville-Kouchibouguac MLA Rose-May Poirier said the mood in the area seems to be good with a lot of people stopping by her office to ask about the potential jobs, how to apply for them and how many will be created.

"There's a lot of questions out there."

Poirier hasn't been in contact with Ocean Spray, but said she will be going to a public meeting Tuesday to hear what they have to say and see how the project will affect the area.

"I think that's what we're all looking for."

With the environmental impact assessment still incomplete, Poirier said she doesn't think anybody knows if the project will go ahead for sure until the results are released.

"I think everybody's optimistic."

Wood pellets arrive in Miramichi

Jan. 12, 2009

The Miramichi's wood pellet shortage may have eased a bit as a local supplier received a shipment Thursday.

Miramichi Feeds manager Robert MacDiarmid said they received a truck load of 1,200 bags of pellets and as of that morning, people didn't know they were in.

"There was just a few people in yet."

The pellets didn't come from Miramichi Feeds' usual source and MacDiarmid said the new supplier promised to be able to supply him with pellets as long as there was a truck to pick them up.

"If these go today I'll probably order another one right behind it."

For months people in the Miramichi have struggled to find pellets for their stoves, with stores selling out almost as soon as they got a new shipment. The pellet stoves are an alternative to the traditional wood stove. Once the fire is lit, an auger feeds the pellets into it a few at a time, with a fan blowing the heat away from the stove.

MacDiarmid said the pellets he received from the new supplier were a little more expensive than the ones they usually sell and he wasn't sure if customers would want to pay extra for them.

"Supply and demand I guess."

Miramichi Feeds still had a long waiting list of people who need pellets and at $1 per bag more than the other brand MacDiarmid said it would probably take a day to sell them all.

"Some people's not going to want to try them."

Tom Ettinger uses a pellet stove to heat his home and was a victim of the shortage earlier in the year. Ettinger ordered some through Miramichi Feeds and had to wait for them, but said he was able to pick some up from Canadian Tire a little less than a month ago.

"I got lots actually."

Despite the shortage, Ettinger said the pellets came before his supply ran out.

"It never came close to running out at all."

Now that the stove has been in use for a few months, Ettinger said he expects the pellets to cost about the same to heat his home as his old wood stove did.

"If that's the case then I'm ahead because it's a lot less work."

Furniture store to rebuild after fire

Jan. 14, 2009

It's out with the old and in with the new as Renaud's Countrywide Furniture gets ready to rebuild.

On Aug. 25, fire damaged the store on King George Highway and forced staff to move to a new location.

Store manager Johanne LeBouthillier said the old building doesn't look that bad from the outside, but most of the damage was at the back of the store where smoke and water lead to mold.

"Everything had to be stripped to the wood if we were renovating."

LeBouthillier said they felt if they renovated the old store it might not get rid of the smoke smell and added they wanted a new look for the new store.

"We're going to tear everything down and restart fresh."

The August fire was one of the biggest in the city last year. Smoke engulfing the roof of the King George Highway location could been seen from the Centinnial Bridge.

It was big it required several stations to respond as fire fighter's struggled on a hot and humid day to deal with the blaze. Paramedics were on hand to deal with fire fighters overcome with the heat of the day and the blaze.

Damage to the back section of the building was extensive. At one point a section of the roof collapsed and a exterior wall had to be ripped open to provide access for fire fighters.

Renaud's Countrywide Furniture has been operating out of Northumberland Square Mall since September and made the final decision to build a new store last week, she said.

"Everybody's so excited."

LeBouthillier said the new store will offer more selection and customers who heard about it are looking forward to the new building.

"They're all excited for us."

The new building will be more of an open concept with a higher roof, unlike the old building that was separated in the middle, she said.

"It's going to be a very different look."

LeBouthillier said they can't wait to get into the new building and have been struggling during their time in the mall.

"It's been harder for sure."

They are using the old foundation for the new building and LeBouthillier said she estimates they will be moved in by June.

"We should start demolition in a few weeks."

Investigators had three possible causes for the fire, but don't know which it was, LeBouthillier said.

"They're not sure yet."