Illegal dumping of lead/arsenic into waterways by SeaSoft

[Bruce Justinen]

1. Notice that the spill area is only 24.4’ x 7.5’ and 7.9’ x 2.6’ SEE Fig. 3.

2. Turning those numbers into sq. ft. yields approximately 187.5 sq. ft.

3. According to the National Association of Home Builders the average master bedroom in a 2,400 sq. ft. home is 271 sq. ft.

4. This means that the spill that ECOLOGY fined SEASOFT for was 69% of the size of a master bedroom and the spill was only deeper than 6 inches in ONE PLACE!

5. Antimony is a hardener used in a combination with lead to make lead more lethal against waterfowl and “clay pigeons” when lead shot makes contact with either one.

Antimony’s contribution to lead shot is usually in the amount of 2.5 to 5% of the total. But a small amount of arsenic is used to make the two, usually about .002% of the antimony itself so it is a very small amount of the total.

6. However see the next page for more insightful information about the TACOMA SMELTER PLUME.


THE TACOMA SMELTER PLUME.

This is from the WA STATE Department of Ecology’s website: Tacoma Smelter - Washington State Department of Ecology

“For almost 100 years, the ASARCO CO. operated a copper smelter in Tacoma. Air pollution from the smelter settled on the surface soil of more than 1,0000 square miles of the Puget Sound basin. Arsenic, lead, and other heavy metals are still in the soil as a result of this pollution.”
Below is a map produced by the WA STATE Department of Ecology illustrating the extent of the air pollution during the years the smelter was running.

1. Notice that SEASOFT SCUBA’s alleged spill occurred in the 2nd highest rated level of pollution.

2. ECOLOGY admits that they did NOT drill or mark off a nearby test hole to determine the amount of pre-existing soil pollution. This was NEVER done!

3. Yet ECOLOGY states that the Tacoma Smelter Plume is not responsible for any of the results claimed against SEASOFT’s small spill. Apparently by simply wishing it were true.

4. It should be noted that during the TACOMA SMELTER's lifetime, tens of thousands of tons of lead and arsenic were dumped into Puget Sound and the identified land areas noted above!

SUMMARY

The Washington State Department of Ecology persecuted and cited SEASOFT SCUBA GEAR INC. using deceit, malicious libel, lies and even a degree of incompetence during 2018 - 2023.

SEASOFT has never denied the fact that it’s employees broke the law and dumped contaminated lead containing water in the gravel just north of our building for approximately 2 weeks while I was out of town. We did not pour lead containing water down the toilet as we have been accused of. This accusation arose from ECOLOGY finding the toilet bowel adjacent to our filling area marred with streaks of greyish brown. If they had further inspected the broken toilet they would have found an old, rusted steel pressure tank residing in the toilet tank where it had apparently resided for multiple years as it slowly died a death of rust and neglect AND as it stained the sides of the toilet bowl.

But ECOLOGY did not cite us for this two-week period of time even though the size of the spill made it apparent that the spill occurred over a short period of time. Instead they chose 3 years. They did not even test the toilet bowl or the toilet tank, they simply accused SEASOFT without having any evidence other than a stained toilet bowl. I do not need to repeat myself but the evidence points to a minor infraction of the law – NOT one that resulted in a record fine for a small company - $197,000.00.

ECOLOGY could have granted SEASOFT SCUBA an opportunity to defend itself after our attorneys "timeliness" fiasco but chose instead to press on and prosecute us even when they were made aware of the amount of mistakes, misinformation and presumptions they had made in their citation against us.

I grew up believing that government always attempted to do the right thing even when they occasionally failed. I learned from the last 7 years that I was mistaken. There are people who lack integrity, and the workings of government demonstrate that during these last years this has become more apparent.

 

[Bruce Justinen]

By the way, even though we're a corporation, ECOLOGY charged me personally and now has put a $250,000.00 lien on our house. So the fine wasn't enough, they want interest beside. So corrupt, so malicious. IT is going to cost us $20,000 to $30,000 to get them to change the penalty from SEASOFT AND Bruce Justinen to just SEASOFT.

 

[Bruce Justinen]

So, here is my latest revelation. I am looking to sell a majority interest in SEASOFT SCUBA in the near future. I am almost 70 years old and I have run the company for 41 years and it is time I cut back a little bit. I would love to get back to my biggest strengths:

1. Research and Development of new products. Already have patents and could have more than a dozen of them if I thought that spending a huge amount of money for them was a great idea. I also have a patent with the MAYO CLINIC where I assisted them in developing a neoprene vest and jacket for women who were suffering from the edema caused by a double mastectomy.

2. Talking to dive retailers and discussing ways we can help them be more profitable.

I am NOT looking for a huge amount of money for SEASOFT, especially after having suffered under the persecution of the WA State Depart. of Ecology. I don't need a huge amount of money, I have everything I need, a wonderful wife, kids and soon to be 4th grandchild. God has been very, very good to me and I am looking for someone who is as passionate about making divers comfortable, warm, and safe in unique, well engineered products that make the dive retailer where they shop more successful and profitable.

I am looking for someone who is willing to invest in their own company, to bring new products to market and to run a growing, profitable, successful dive manufacturer and distributor like SEASOFT!

My email address is bruce@seasoftscuba.com. Not looking to retire, just slow down a little bit.