The Columbus Free Press
Letter to the Editor - October 16, 1996
McDonalds and Superior Graphite Vie in Bexley
I am opposed to the Bexley McDonalds, but lately, I have been having seconds thoughts. "Bring it here," I've thought, "maybe a McDonalds in Bexley will teach each of us a little humility." These thoughts began after I read letters in the local news stating that a McDonalds in Bexley would make our community "just like" Whitehall or Groveport. These thoughts have continued and intensified with the discovery that William Goldberger, one of the vocal opponents to the Bexley McDonalds, works for Superior Graphite. Superior Graphite hopes to put a high temperature graphite research lab on the site of the closed Columbus trash burning power plant.
The people who live in the shadow of the trash plant fought hard to have the facility closed. Superior Graphite proposes to distill petroleum coke and use one of the trash plants stacks for emissions. The major pollutant released will be sulfur dioxide. But neighbors of the facility fear that other pollutants will be released. In addition, they worry about dioxin contamination and the chance that any activity at the trash plant will further spread the contamination to their homes.
The feeling among trash plant neighbors is unanimous, "We'll take the McDonalds if Bexley will take the next polluting facility!" From my standpoint, this is not an unreasonable request.
John Thomas
Bexley, Ohio
(614) 236-8214
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