Animal Testing Giant Covance Welcomed To Chandler, Arizona: Pathological Waste Thermal Destruction Unit (Incinerator For Animal Carcasses) Follows

Not sure why Chandler, Arizona wants the ash of burned carcasses from dead, abused lab animals, but that’s what they’ll get. Maybe they didn’t realize that the daily burning of abused carcasses was part of the routine of an animal testing giant.

Breathe deeply Chandler, Arizona.

Article:

Chamber of Commerce backs Covance
Despite support, questions loom over incinerator

http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/
articles/0802cr-incinerator0802Z6.html

Edythe Jensen
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 2, 2006 12:00 AM

A high profile Chandler zoning case is spurring more public debate this week about incinerators, health, business and animals. Now, the Chamber of Commerce has entered the fray.

Covance Inc., a global biotechnology firm that has drawn protests from animal-rights activists for its use of animals in drug testing, got official backing from the Chandler Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, less than a week after a city planner requested more information about the company's planned "pathological waste thermal destruction unit" - an incinerator that could be used for animal carcasses.

The company filed an application last month to build one of its largest facilities near Price and Germann roads. Last week, planning manager Jeff Kurtz sent a letter to Covance attorney Ralph Pew of Mesa, asking him to submit "architectural and mechanical details demonstrating the appearance and function" of the incinerator. Kurtz also asked Covance to summarize regulatory requirements and submit evidence of an incinerator application or approval from the appropriate agency.
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Holly Ward, spokeswoman for the Maricopa County Air Quality Department, said Covance has not applied for an incinerator permit, which would be required before it started construction.

Covance spokeswoman Camilla Strongin said even though it's listed on the zoning application, the decision to build an incinerator hasn't been made.

"We're exploring all alternatives," she said. "We are currently reviewing the requests from the city and will respond to complete our submittal at the appropriate time."

One of the groups opposing Covance's plans, Washington, D.C.-based Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, lauded the city's demands for more information about the incinerator.

"We think this is a very appropriate request because of the potential public health issues raised by the use of a pathological thermal waste destruction unit in a populated area like Chandler," PCRM spokesman Patrick Sullivan said.

City spokeswoman Nachie Marquez said requests from the city for more details in zoning cases are routine, and there's nothing unusual about Kurtz's letter.

What is different about the Covance case is every piece of paper that makes it into the zoning file, including Kurtz's letter, is posted on the municipal Web site home page, www.chandleraz.gov. The chamber entered the debate Tuesday when it delivered a "position statement" to the mayor, City Council, Planning and Zoning Commission, Covance and Citizens Against Covance that encourages the company to build in Chandler. But in its statement, the chamber reaches out to protesters by supporting safeguards for public health and against animal abuse. Covance recently became a chamber member.

The statement says, in part, "It is the Chamber's belief that Covance will have a positive impact on our local economy in the way of providing high-level jobs" and attracting other biotech firms.

"We understand that animal testing of new medicines and chemical products, which is a federal mandate, is the only alternative at this time to human testing. At the same time our community must be safeguarded from the importation of infectious diseases through properly and stringently monitored quarantine measures. The Chandler Chamber also believes in the ethical and humane treatment of animals in all aspects of our community life including but not limited to animal testing for medical purposes."

Incinerator facts

• Maricopa County's Air Quality Department regulates crematories, incinerators used for disposal of human and animal remains.


• There are 22 active crematory permits in Maricopa County, including seven in Mesa.


• New crematories require at least two chambers that operate at minimum temperatures of 1,000 to 1,600 degrees.


• Crematories are regulated by the Clean Air Act and subject to emissions limits and unannounced inspections.


• Details: www.maricopa.gov/aq/ divisions/planning.aspx