Dirty, Dusty and Deadly: A Retrospective Profile of the Neelon Casting Foundry

Sudbury, Ontario 1972-2007

The purpose of the Neelon Workers’ Advisory Committee (NWAC was to document chemical exposures at Neelon and secure justice for those who died as a result of working there, often years before reaching retirement.

This retrospective exposure study of the Neelon Casting foundry located in Sudbury, Ontario (ON) follows two similar studies of the General Electric (2017) and Ventra Plastics (2020) plants in Peterborough, ON. These studies apply qualitative, investigative, and analytical methods to assess historical toxic exposures at plants where cancer clusters have been identified. That so many Neelon workers died young, well before retirement age, should be kept in mind while reading this report.

Between November 2021 and June 2022, we met regularly with the NWAC, USW union representatives, and OHCOW staff carrying out a series of focus group and personal interviews on the nature of work conditions at the plant.  In addition, we received written testimony and evidence from other workers or family members wishing to participate in this fact-finding initiative.  This study was commissioned by OHCOW, in cooperation with USW Local 2020.

WRITTEN AND RESEARCHED BY:

Robert DeMatteo, MA, DOHS and Dale DeMatteo, MSc Public Health Sciences

with

Ron St Germain, Daryl Park, Mike Quenneville, Lori Pilot, Paul Lachance and Wendy Wisniewaki: Members of the Neelon Worker Advisor Committee (NWAC)
Jessica Montgomery: Former Compensation Representative with the United Steelworkers Local 2020, now with the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers (OHCOW)

Andrew Zarnke, Jennifer McMillan, Shirley Yan, Andre Gauvin, and Brittney Ramakko: OHCOW Staff Members