THUNDER BAY INDUSTRIES NOT CLEAN YET : Thunderbay IMC

July 4, 2007

FORT WILLIAM FIRST NATION - Environment Canada's National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) released 2006 emissions data on Thunder Bay's largest industries on June 3, 2007, yet not many people noticed. Some emissions are down, but in some cases priority toxic substances such as dioxin and mercury have increased since 2005. This is has an environmental group on Fort William First Nation concerned.

"The people of Fort William First Nation are surrounded by industrial pollution, as is often the case with First Nation communities" said Damien Lee, Executive Director of the Anishinabek of the Gitchi Gami Environmental Programs, an environmental not-for-profit group on the First Nation. "We recognize industry as a playing a vital role in our area's economy, but if the majority of industry in Thunder Bay must operate next to my community, I want those industries to be clean and safe, and their waste to not end up on my land. The latest NPRI data shows they are not completely safe yet."

The community environmental group mapped industries next to Fort William First Nation in late 2006, finding over 15 active operations within 2 km of where the First Nation citizens are living. Comparing the NPRI data from 2005 to 2006, some of these industries have increased emissions of cancer-causing substances such as dioxin and mercury. For example, in the case of Ontario Power Generation, annual mercury releases increased from 37.2 kg in 2005 to 38.9 kg 2006, and Bowater showed an increase in dioxin during the same time period.

"Dioxin is the most toxic substance known to humans," said Lee. "It causes cancer and diabetes in humans at low levels. I am concerned about the health of the people in my community, especially since there is currently a diabetes epidemic amongst Canadian First Nations peoples."

The International Agency for Research on Cancer has stated there is no safe level of exposure to dioxin.

There are feasible solutions to reducing these toxic emissions. The pulp and paper industry can eliminate chlorine in its bleaching process to produce 'chlorine-free paper', as chlorine plays a key role in the creation of dioxin during the pulping process. The power generation industry can reduce mercury emissions by investing in a decentralized infrastructure that allows small renewable energy producers to feed their electricity into the grid. Mercury is released when coal is burned for electricity.

The Anishinabek of the Gitchi Gami Environmental Programs is concerned about the industrial emissions being released next to Fort William First Nation in Thunder Bay's industrial corridor - the Kaministiquia River. They are hoping to see their industrial neighbours completely phase out all practices that result in toxic emissions, specifically emissions of dioxin and mercury.

For more information on industrial emissions in our area, concerned citizens can visit the National Pollutant Release Inventory on the Internet at http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/npri or obtain more information by phoning the NPRI office at (819) 953-1656.

Environment Canada's National Pollutant Release Inventory is Canada's only legislated, publicly accessible inventory of its kind, and requires major industries to report their emissions annually under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.

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Contact:
Damien Lee, Anishinabek of the Gitchi Gami Environmental Programs
ecostewards.fwfn(at)gmail.com, +1 807 476 6813 (mobile), +1 807 577 0989 (leave message)

784 Grand Point Road
Fort William First Nation
Thunder Bay ON P7J 1J8 Canada
Podcast: http://agg-podcasts.blogspot.com
Discussion: http://groups.google.com/group/Friends-of-AGG