Laserfiche WebLink
We are concerned for our safety because we work every day with <br />exposure to chemicals and other hazards, and we're concerned for <br />the health of our community too. <br />So we just filed whistleblower <br />complaints with Cal-EPA&Cal-OSHA <br />alleging violations of clean water and <br />worker safety laws. We provided evi- <br />dence that Kingspan has not complied <br />with parts of the Storm Water Pollution <br />Prevention Plan it filed with the CA <br />Water Control Board. It is crucial that <br />Kingspan adhere to this prevention <br />plan: the company's own records <br />show it exceeded allowable discharge <br />levels forzinc in storm water runoff by <br />almost 7 times in 2020-21 and by over <br />13 times in in 2019-20. Thecompany <br />is currently party to a federal consent <br />decree with an environmental group <br />addressing its practices. <br />We also worked with the local <br />environmental movement and a <br />UC Irvine air pollution scientist who <br />trained us to measure pollution levels <br />for days inside our factory using <br />specialized devices. His analysis found <br />average levels of pollution (PM2.5, or <br />particulate matter smaller than 2.5 <br />micrometers)-6 to 7 times higher <br />than outdoors (for comparison, smoke <br />in wildfire episodes often results in a <br />2- to 4-fold increase in PM2.5). Of eight <br />employees who carried air monitors, <br />five recorded average PM 2.5 concen- <br />trations that, if measured outdoors, <br />would rank between "unhealthy" and <br />"very unhealthy" according to EPA's <br />Air Quality Index. Some measure- <br />ments reached the maximum limit of <br />the monitor's detection ability. Some <br />measurements reached the maximum <br />limit of the monitor's detection ability. <br />Kingspan, an Irish firm with 166 <br />globalfactories and 2020 sales of $5.5 <br />billion, prides itself on its"planet <br />passionate" programs designed to <br />"protect the natural environment." Its <br />profit has increased every year since <br />2008, reaching $600 million in 2020 <br />despite COVID-19. <br />With your help in our organizing <br />and whistleblowing efforts, we can <br />hold Kingspan accountable and make <br />our workplace safer and our commu- <br />nity healthier. <br />Thank you for your support. <br />Respect <br />WE <br />u <br />M¢althy CommunlN¢s <br />DESERV <br />www.CleanUpKingspan.org <br />