Apex Fire: debate over impacts still smolder

It's been a week since the Apex diaspora of 2006. We were some of the estimated 4,000 to evacuate (out of some 17,000 asked to evacuate). The post-fire fallout may ultimately be more interesting than the fire itself.

The usually excellent News and Observer will have a big article tomorrow on the now controversial Environmental Quality facility and how it has quietly existed in Apex for several years & how it all went wrong last week.

It's been a confusing week though for us residents though, given the mixed messages re: the long-term impacts. On the side of "No worries, mate ..." were the EPA and NC environmental testing which concluded that little toxic material went outside the facility's boundaries. On the side of "Not so fast ..." were the independent consulting firm results that showed mercury and heavy metals in the filters of a nearby facility (kid's gymnastics) and the chair of the NCSU toxicology department who encouraged everyone to thoroughly wash everything that was outdoors that night and replace all filters.

It's hard to know what to think. However, my already-sufficiently-addled-without-the-help-of-toxic-chemicals brain has settled upon two main conclusions.

First, government regulation continues to be a good thing. Probably the single biggest downside to my job is constantly being engaged into conversations (while off duty) about "big government". Some people feel there are too many regulations, taxes, laws, government workers, entitlements, etc. (Ed. note ... it is NOT MY DOING. Your vote counts the same as mine.) But, the need for these things was brought home for me again while watching Scott Maris (EQ VP of something) deflect IMO valid criticisms of a hazardous waste holding facility not having: a) a fire suppression system and/or b) 24/7 on-site staff. His simple contention was (paraphrasing) "we weren't required to have those things". It seems fairly clear that in a functioning citizenry that there will be times in which various groups have competing, equally understandable, interests (e.g., profit vs. safety). All parties are best served when there is an agreed-upon, clear set of rules governing these situations. Please note that all future debates that Dolberry is goaded into on this subject will be accompanied by an airplane spin toss, a back rake, and possibly ... an atomic drop.

Second, ignorance continues to be bliss. It was nice not knowing EQ was storing mercury and nitroglycerin less than a mile away. It would be nice not to know that there could be residual toxics in the dust that continues to accumulate on our treadmill. I'll bet there are thousands of things that I should be glad I'll never know.

One thing I don't know is if ignorance = bliss, does bliss = ignorance; and if so why is Dolberry so happy? Wait. Don't tell me.