April 14, 1998
The Honorable E. G. Rendell
Office of the Mayor
Room 215 City Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Dear Mr. Mayor:
I am writing to seek your support on an important health and justice. I refer to current efforts to return to the United States 4,000 tons of Philadelphia incinerator ash labeled as fertilizer shipped to Haiti in 1987.
The residents of Gonaives, the seaside town where the ash was dumped, are deeply worried about the long-term impact of this cadmium and lead laced mound which remains in their midst. They have been working with Greenpeace for years to have it removed. In addition, we understand that the democratically elected government places the highest priority on the return of the ash to the United States.
The fishermen of Gonaives cannot sell their catch, since Gonaives residents will not buy fish caught in waters into which the ash has been seeping and blowing. And investors in the area lament the negative impact of the ash in their businesses. (Tropical Salt Corporation, for example, has threatened to pull its US-focused solar-evaporated salt exporting business if the ash is not returned to the United States. This would deny 800 Haitians employment associated with the export of 180,000 metric tons of salt to United States per year.)
Significantly, the democratically elected Government of Haiti perceives both the initial dumping and the continued presence of this ash as an expression of contempt for Haiti and its people. There is, however, now a breakthrough. The company which originally shipped the ash to Haiti has agreed to return it to the United States, provide $100,000 toward its removal, and contribute $250,000 in landfill to assure it proper storage in Pennsylvania. (The City of Philadelphia had originally committed to pay $630,000 to Eastern Environmental Services for the disposal of this ash, but actually paid nothing due to the controversy surrounding the dumping of the ash in Haiti.)
As you know, Haiti in only in its fifth year of democracy. I am writing to suggest that it would be an act of considerable generosity and good will towards the Government and people of Haiti if the Philadelphia City Council would make a small contribution of $100,000 toward the $600,000 Greenpeace estimates it would cost to return the ash to the United States. I am fully aware that your administration was in no way responsible for or involved in this controversy. I do believe, however, theat your commitment to help remove the ash from Haiti would reflect the decency of your administration and would rebound to the benefit of our city.
I look forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience.
Very truly yours,
Chaka Fattah
Member of Congress