Tell Bill Gates to Protect St. Louis Families from Pollution

https://www.credomobilize.com/petitions/tell-bill-gates-to-protect-st-louis-families-from-pollution

Bill Gates is the dominant shareholder of Republic Services. He has the power of the vote and financial

holdings to convince Republic Services to evacuate families living next to a burning landfill.
Families in this community cannot open their windows – not Gates’ software program – but their actual 

windows because of the odors and toxic air pollution.

Why is this important?

Why are we asking for Bill and Melinda Gates to act? Because they have the power to make Republic take action and protect the children. No other child should be made sick and die. State health investigators found a high rate of brain and nervous system cancers among children 17 and younger in the area near the landfill, in a report just released (9-23-14). There were seven such cancers in that age group compared to an expected 2.5 cases.. Parents of children at Rose Acres Elementary school believe the number of cancers among students and staff members has recently increased, and have asked the health department for a separate study at the school. A fire is moving toward from one Republic Services dumpsite to an adjacent dumpsite which contains radioactive wastes. No one knows what will happen when the fire reaches the radioactive wastes and no one knows how to put the fire out. 12 years old child died of brain cancer and now her sisters are sick.Republic Services earned $8.4 billion in revenues and $589 million in profits and is the second largest trash collection and disposal company in North America. They can afford to move families and fully clean up the burning, polluting dumpsites. But they refuse. Bill and Melinda Gates can use their influence to protect the children who live in surrounding communities, like Spanish Village which is closest to the burning dump. Gates’ owns 27% of the company’s share through his investment company, Cascade Investment (worth about $3.7 billion). Additionally, Michael Larson, chief investment officer at Cascade Investment, sits on Republic Services Board of Directors since 2009. Bill and Melinda have the power, we are asking them to use it. Yes, the stock value may temporarily go down but Gates’ doesn’t live from pay check to pay check, his net worth is about $72 billion, he can take the loss.

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