Bizarre But True Factoids

[bcholmes]

"The Chemical Blob" was the nickname given to a blob of chemical plant waste that was allegedly sitting at the bottom of the St. Clair River (that connects Lake Huron with Lake St. Clair). What caused the Chemical Blob? Sarnia's own Chemical Valley. Some enterprising soul put little bits of the chemical blob into plastic paperweights and sold them.

Did you know that the Chemical Valley used to be on the back of the Canadian $10 bill?

Now it looks like there's a new chemical plant problem in Sarnia. Caused by Imperial Oil. Who are owned by Esso Canada. Who are owned by Exxon. Who'd thunk it that these people would spill nasty stuff into the water?

Imperial Oil was originally formed when a bunch of small Southwestern Ontario refineries banded together. My great-great grandfather was apparently a high muckety-muck in one of these refineries. Thus I think I should come from old money but, alas, I don't.