Document v62XeKM2KQGpqGeBJY0pjxmpR

DAN R. BISHOP Director Public Affairs Monsanto \gs> Monsanto Chemical Company 800 N. Lindbergh Boulevard St. Louis, Missouri 63167 Phone: (314) 694-2891 November 2, 1988 Letter to the Editor: Your Oct. 28 editorial, "Ready or Not, Here Comes the EPA," and the two follow-up letters in the Nov. 1 Post-Dispatch have given new meaning to the term "corporate bashing." To insinuate that industry on the East Side routinely cleans up its act only when it knows someone is checking, borders on slander. And to base your case (as you clearly did) on the preposition that unannounced sampling conducted by Greenpeace last May yielded higher levels of pollutants than sampling taken during the Beluga's extended and highly visible stay last September, demonstrates your lack of understanding of the actual situation. You know, or you should have known, that the Greenpeace sampling took place at two distinctly different discharge streams. The first came from the Sauget physical chemical treatment facility which provides only primary treatment (that stream then receives secondary treatment later). The second came from American Bottoms Regional Wastewater Treatment Facility which provides both primary and secondary treatment. Obviously, the facility that does only primary treatment is going to contain higher levels of waste. _ Monsanto is in compliance with all water discharge standards to American Bottoms. We do not operate any differently because the EPA or Greenpeace is in town. Production was not curtailed and production rates will be provided to the EPA as part of the sampling program. We don't conduct our business illegally. For you or anyone else to insinuate otherwise is irresponsible. Sincerely a unit of Monsanto Company DSN 136261 STLCOPCB4036229