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eedfor anc Say officiaiabu No> neeifo@ancpant clàsings By Mfike Kowalaiki A'recent spate of iactary clasinge in Whitby are attributeble ta various factors and not indicative of the ovorail erouomic heaith ai the cam- mnunity. That appears ta, be the attitude ai lacal government and business repre- sentativos taward the plant closinge which occurred i Whitby the pat year. While expressing conoern for employees ûmmdiately effected by theoshutdawns, those mrqed by lhe Pme Press are generay con- fident new develapmont will offset toloblsses.- Teplant losÉaga began shortly before Christmas with the decision by Cobi Fooda ta close their cannod faod prcssing factory, throwing more t han 1100people out ofiwork. In May, 'Smith and Nephew, manufacturera of latex rubbor g-oves, announced that' ita plants in Whitby and Ajax were ta close. About 120 people lost their jobs as a resuit. Lest month, Nestie ai Canada decided that it would not go ahead writh a planned niove ta the former Cadbuxy plant on Champlain Ave. Earlier this month, Harvard In- dustries announced, that it will close its Aahburn automobile mirror plant on Sept. 28. Approximately 75 emfloyees, mostly women, willlose theïr jobs. Finally, Diana Temple Fashions, a womon's clothing manufacturer, began closing its Whitby operatian last week. Dospite the plant ciosige, Mayor Bob Atteraley remains positive about Whitby's business climate. "Certain things close down, that's the democratic, capitaliatic way wo live," said Atteraley. In examining the ciosing8, Atters- loy said Neatle cannat bo put i that categozy because the company did not actually move* into the formîer Cadbuiy plent. As for Smnith and Nephew, Atters- loy said moat ai the company's ope- rations were located i A)ax and ho la hopeful that Harvard s Ashburn plant wifl not ait idie too long. "kt may be sold ta someone else, maybe thinge wont be ail doom and gloom.0 said-Attersley. Instead, the mayor chooses ta focus an businesses that are moving ta Whitby such as McGraw-Hill Ryer- son, Atlantic Packaging and the exason of BalI Pckaig and SnofCanada. "Theres lots of new emalidus- tries and lots of redevelopment down- tawn, a lot aifg-od thmngs happen-. ing," said Atteraley. "The Firestane plant used ta be closed, now the whole north section je fihdled." Jeanette Babington, Whitby's mar- keting and economic deveîopmnent officer, said her department iai the praceas of updating its records on the number ai- new jobs created i Whitby during the pat year. She said thiaiformation should be ready by the fail, but did not wish to speculate at this time. "We don't have true figures on Atlantic Packaging, the Sony expan- sion, PPG rnovimg into a new build- mng," said Bebington. uWe know how many buildings and square feet but wo can't get viable details ( ai jobs created) in the summer. We wont have true figures until September.» Bebington, ai course, je flot pieased any tuinç a busiess shuts cwn, but said, oýr overything there is a reason, it's not always free trade." She noted that -Smith and Nephew could not compete with cheaper glovos, bath in quality and price, which were produoed in the fer east.« 1uWhat can they do? les tao costly for them ta compete for the Canadien markoet," said Babington., "Vihose feuit is it, the ioderai government's for giving grants toaa third world country?Thereés nathing we can do about it." Norm Leigh, managrer of business deveiopment for Durham Region, expressed disappointment with the closinge. 'Generally, the national economny doson't look ail that great. A coatri- buting factor is interest rates,"ý said Leigh. "i'he free trade deal is being bla- med for al aur economic woes but i thinkc it goos deeper than that." LeiUh said ho remains 'cautiously optimistic about Durhams economnic health, noting that the regioa's un- employment rate is still one ai the country's lowest. "Viere oertainly not immune ta the national picture, but I believe our proximity ta Toronta wil help." t.ig ai4 hie department is wil-, ling thelp y of the companies id a buyer for eir plants and property. He sai d t e former Cadbury plant poses a parti lar problem because of the speciali d nature ofithe facility. Because e plant waa built for a confectione manufacturer, it cannot bo easily, a pted for other indsu- tries. prosident Bop> Stanley said oach of the plant cia ingé muet be exeminod Nestie move. Stanley wàs recently i Michigan where he xýtioed that, a 15-year mortgage could be obtained for 8.25 per oent and a 30-year mortgage for 10jper cent. "t wouid be double that in Environinental protection, recY- dling waste. Four simple words, but when spoken together they are the "buzz words" ai a new generation. Every day more and more North Amricans become aware ai the world around thoin and what they, collectively, are doing ta destroy it. For sonie, there la only one reason why aur very exisatence as a species la threatened - industry, in its unend- ing quest for profit, has nover taken the responsibiity for what it takes away froin nature. Oniy whon an outraed public expresses itseof through its legisla- tive bodies and forceful, throughi the courts, dosa business heed pubIf Ontario. It makos a big difference if youro planning ta spend $100 mil- lion," said St ey. "It looke ikeausness decision. They (Neetle) decided it would be cheaper ta upgrade their old faàclity. Referring ta the McGraw ;HIl Ryerson relocatian, Stanley feela Whitby may be better off trying to attract induistry ai this type. ¶t's a dlean opeiation,-ino pollution and an educated workforoe. There'. nome advantage ta this." Stanley said such companies are leas vuinereble ta cycical changes i the econemy and lesa reliant on a healtby autamotive idustry'for their survival. Des Newman, president of- the Durham ]Region Manufatrera Asso- ciatian, advises residents ta keep a ubalanoed perspective" with respect ta plant ciasinga. 'Nobody welcomes these kinds of decisiona, they are disturbing," said Newman. "But the worst thing ta do is run scared. Instead, we should be holping concern about what it can and cennot do in the pursuit ai profit. Or so one echool ai opinion wouid have you believe. But if the truth were known, not ail companies are guilty as chanrged. Meny have t4ken the lead infidn waya to protect thne'envùrcunent. When it comes ta recycling, Lake Ontario Steel Company (Lesco) was i the recycling business before recy- dling became fashionable.. In iact, one could almoat say recy- clin' te Cmpay'sraison detre. eýýg has bon part. ai aur business ince we started 25 years ao explaina Lasco vice-presidont Richard ?Iadden. "Vie make steel from eca 8 0 we're tataly dependent on recyc in." Lasce la a major scrap recycler and has one ai the largeet netwarks ai =uality scrap suppliera in North These range irom amail machine shoaeta major automotive stampera. largert ofour scrap source is auahulks, says.Hadden. "Vie recy- cle abouit one million tans ai steel scrap per year and auto huika account for almnost 320,000 tans ai that." (An auto hulk is essentially an automobile which has been stripped af ita wheela and thon fiattened.) Although recycling automobiles, via auto huike, accounts for a major portion ai Lasco's business, it. aiso hIpe contribute ta a major headace for the company. As' Hadden explains, technology has flot developed ta the point where ail ai the material contained in an auto hulk can be reused. For example, from a 2,600-lb. auto hulk, about 2,000 ibs. je metal that can be recycled. Out ai the remaining 600 lbs., about 100 Ibe. is non-ferrous material such as copper, nickel, aluminuin and chromium that is separated dur- ing the pracese 'and eventually recy- cled. The problem je what ta do with the remaiing 500 ibs. This by-product je composed ai foam rubbier, glass and plastic used in automobile scats and dashboards. It la a light material which la separa- ted from the reusable producte, by blowing, air through it. This material is collected and, for the time being, buried an Lasco's property as it cannot bo further processed, Because it is iorced ta dispose ai the material ini this manner, Lasco bas rua into 1problema with local government officiais. Durhiam Region's planning dopart- ment la worried that a temporary dump ta store the waste may become permanent if Laeos proposai for a massive berin ta store weste la rejec- ted by the Ontario Ministxy ai Environment. "Vie cannot afford ta be left with 500 Ibe. oai materiai that cant bo each other i the reglan, that alono would mako a great' deal af dif- ference.1 Newman said it only makes sense for Duiliam-based manufacturera ta buy from local suppliera whenever, possible. "If there is a local supplier, it's i aur own intereet ta spport them." Newman said employea andf their unions must also bo prepared ta share the burden when tunes get taugh. "They shouid do a bit ai ýwork- sharing, so the hurt isaspread around," said Newman.. However, Newman is quick ta add that workera should not be the only ones aaked ta sacrifice. If unions are prepared ta recipro- cat, Newman -would agree with management pay cuts. "Now ia not the time ta mnake threats and wield a big stick. If times are good thon you can go to it. "But when times are tough it's time ta hald back and work tagether.- used and, unfortunatelyr, trends are going in the opposite direction. I arn concerned about the amount ai plas- tic and ioam bein; used, it seems taý be getting greater. Lasco la seeking an arnendment ta Durham ]Region's officiai plan ta slow it ta, continue usig the temnpor- aiy holding iaciflity,j>eading a deci- alan on the berin proposai.,- Lasco has been, using the. tempor- ary site, since early Mardi i- ollo*lng the granting ai a certilicate ai appro- val by the environment mdiltry. The mini try's certificate, which imposes a1 numbor ai conditions on the company, expires May 31, 1991. One ai the conditions a, that Lasè must transier waste frora the tom- porary dump into the. permanent ite, should the latter bo approved. But if it's denied, Lasco-la thon required toasubinit a prpposal con- cermng management alih tempor- %ie Town ai Whitby has given its support ta Lasca's officiai, plan amendment provided that the coin- pan y demonstrato how effluent (ter- med leachate, which resuits from rainwater iltering through the waste material) cen be aafely pumped inta the sewer system. Lasco officiais say the leachate will bo collected in a holding pond, trea- ted and thon pumped inta the sewier systern, but only if it meets Dudiam'a bylaw. Lasco has proposed creating a massive iandscaped borin, composed ai earth and waste, at ita Hopkins St. plant. The berm would be capable ai haidinjg up ta 15 years worth o a we material, but is on hold pending completion ai an environmental assessment. The company had operated -a demonstration borin since 1988 as part ai the preparations for the per- manent berm. But the demonstration borin rea- chod its cepacity of 175,000 tons, s0 the company had no choie but ta bogi dumping in a temporary site. T.is dump bas the capacity for 125,000 tans. The company dlaims it was forced ta, start filling the temporaiy dump or lay off employees involved in the shredder operation.' Hadden says that Lasco must bury the waste on site bocause it cannot fmnd a landfihlI site which will'accept it. "About 300 tons ai by-product is generated per day, that's a lot ai elandfililm. If it had ta -go toa a municipal landflll site, they wouid be flled up a 'much faster rate than they are now." Hadden feels that Lasco is paying the. prioe ai. automobile manufac- turera not desipmnin' their products with tho" future iùm mmd., 1"Dèsàignersm'iuat have a concept ai recycling, cars muet'bo designed for recycling. It'a a challenge for auto- malcers ta do this. Lasco totally dependent on recycl ing From.s-c'rap to steel %, Ný,l