Osborne said he has been receiving calls from national media outlets such as the Houston Chronicle, NBC and the New York Times.

“I appreciate our opponents concern, but if we didn’t feel the operation was safe, we wouldn’t ask the EPA for a variance,” he said.

Part of the variance process, Osborne said, is a public comment period followed by a public hearing if requested. He said his company has been anticipating the public hearing for the last 18 months. The variance would grant Veolia to legally import PCBs for a year.

Osborne said though there are other alternative methods of treating PCBs, some theoretical and practical, that depend on the concentrations of the materials, such as the density of the material. He believes that incineration is the most cost-effective and safest technique.

“We’re confident of a favorable opinion from the EPA. We’re expecting opposition at the public hearing and some support,” Osborne said. “This is a proven method for destroying the material. I don’t have a problem with our opponents expressing their concerns as long as it’s fair, unbiased and in consideration of the facts. I don’t know what the time frame is (for the EPA to render a decision).

“It’s an opportunity for public feedback and we want to be a good neighbor and a good corporate citizen.”