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A shining Star, a smelly Star Plateau folk living near the St-LaurentRachel intersection live under the bright lights that mark their friendly neighbourhood textile factory: "Paris Star Como Clichy." But residents are more worried when they look up, way up, above the brightly-lit sign and see the fumes billowing out the factory's roof. >> "Last summer the fire department got about 12 calls from residents" who thought the factory was on fire, says Hazel Field, a community organizer who has spent almost 15 years leading the local Paris Star watchdogs. In 1991, Field was finally successful in getting Paris Star to send its fumes out through the roof; previously, the factory spewed it out through street level grids. But from the community's perspective, the fumes still flow; now it just takes longer for them to reach the ground. >> In response to community pressure, the MUC conducted emissions tests last fall. A report made public last week says Paris Star's toxic emissions probably do not pose a health risk--though, with over 60 different identifiable chemicals, they could not be completely certain. Meanwhile, the factory's odour emissions are more than three times the acceptable level. The company has one year to fix the problem, and two potential solutions: either a $250,000 emissions "scrubbing" process, or a $500,000 incinerator. >> Field won't be pleased with either solution: "They have the nerve to continue pumping out these emissions when they can't guarantee public health. Why don't they move the floor with all the machinery to an industrial area?" --Philip Preville
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