“Toxic Time Bomb” is about the impact of industrial pollution on a community and about activists who have spent 30 years fighting to ensure that industry and government take responsibility for the destruction of the environment in and around their community. Agent Orange, was produced in Elmira, Ontario, a small farming community just outside Waterloo. In late 1989 Elmira was obliged to shut down its water supply because of the discovery of high levels of various chemicals in the aquifer that flows under the town.
“This shocking exposé shows how episodes of ‘local’ contamination in Canada are connected to the wider geography of chemical production, biological warfare, and the long-term ecological and public health legacies of our chemical world. It’s also a compelling story of determined citizen activism in the face of corporate irresponsibility and government denial.” -Arn Keeling, Memorial University
“Toxic Time Bomb is a powerful account of the health and environmental consequences associated with the chemical industry in a small community. The toxic legacy Uniroyal has left behind in Elmira, Ontario, illustrates the long-term costs of dangerous chemical production without appropriate environmental regulation. The film also reminds us that these harms can be spread to distant locations, documenting the damage done by the Elmira plant’s main product, the herbicide Agent Orange. The history of local struggles against pollution is not well documented in Canada; films such as Toxic Time Bomb tell the story of how communities respond to the threat of contaminants in their midst.”-John Sandlos, Memorial University
“Bombe à retardement toxique” est un film qui examine les séquelles toujours actuelles de la production et de l’usage de l’Agent orange pendant la guerre du Vietnam. Le film introduit Elmira, Ontario, une communauté agricole pittoresque qui était le siège d’Uniroyal Chemical qui fabriquait l’Agent orange. Aujourd’hui, les séquelles de l’Agent orange hantent la population d’Elmira à cause des pratiques déficientes d’élimination des déchets associés à la production de l’Agent orange et d’autres substances, qui ont entraîné des infiltrations chimiques dans les aquifères à Elmira et aux alentours. Cette contamination a forcé la fermeture des puits en 1989 et nombres d’études sur le Canagagigue Creek, un ruisseau, ont mis en évidence des taux élevés de dioxine et de furannes dans l’eau.
The Filmmakers
Director and Producer, Ron Harpelle has a PhD in History, he has published numerous books and articles and has both produced and directed several award-winning history films such as A.K.A, Banana Split, In Security, and Hard Time. Many of these films are complimented by books and larger academic projects on the same subject, making them ideal for the educational market and ensuring the quality of the research that goes into them.
Producer and cinematographer, Kelly Saxberg has a MA in History. She works in English, French, Spanish. She has directed and edited dozens of award-winning history films, most notably Rosies of the North, Letters From Karelia, Dorothea Mitchell: A Reel Pioneer. In 2017, she completed, Long Walk Home: The Incredible Journey of Sheila Burnford, a 30 Minute documentary she produced, edited, Filmed and co-directed
Toxic Time Bomb was edited by Adrien Harpelle, who also composed the music for the film. He is an accomplished songwriter who has produced four studio albums and has composed for short films in various styles.