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TORONTO
Letters informing residents of a nickel-contaminated neighbourhood near a former Inco Ltd. refinery about environmental testing done in their homes last fall have been mailed out, a spokesman for the mining company says.
Inco spokesman Steve Mitchell said the mailouts were done after residents demanded to see the figures.
The residents became concerned when results from one of 31 homes tested were released after resident Wilf Pearson developed respiratory problems and demanded the figures be turned over to his doctor.
An analysis of the results by Dr. Mark Richardson of Risklogic Scientific Services revealed a cancer risk from nickel 15 to 290 times greater than the Ontario Ministry of the Environment has determined is tolerable.
"It appears that the level of nickel in the indoor air of Mr. Pearson's home is about 10 times higher than found outdoors," Richardson said in the analysis he...