NOTE: WATCH the Conference LIVE on the Web at:

http://www.avolution.com./ 

By CATHY DOBSON

The Observer

POINT EDWARD — No new industries that produce toxic emissions should be approved for Sarnia-Lambton until improvements are made to existing facilities, the senior scientist at Ecojustice Canada said Wednesday.

And that includes the massive refinery proposed by Shell Canada for St. Clair Township, said Elaine MacDonald, co-author of an alarming study that investigated the cumulative effect of air pollution in Chemical Valley.

The study found 62 large industrial facilities within 25 kilometres of Sarnia released more than 131,000 tonnes of air pollution in 2005, the most recent year that data is available.

Sarnia residents are exposed to more toxic pollutants than any other community in Ontario, MacDonald said.

“Shell will add more pollution into the airshed even if it is a modern facility.”

Shell officials have said some units at the existing plant will shut down if a new plant is built, but the community needs details, MacDonald said.

“Shell needs to be more clear about what they will be doing with their existing operation, which is even closer to the (Aamjiwnaang) reserve,” she said during a three-day symposium on the local environment and human health.

“We need to decide if that’s an appropriate facility for this area. It may well be that this area can’t afford to have any more air emissions without reductions elsewhere.”

MacDonald said the concentration of petrochemical plants creates a cumulative effect unlike any other place in Canada.

“For the most part, we don’t understand the effects on people’s health. We need a comprehensive community-led health study to get that information,” she said.

“Until we know what’s going on, no new pollution discharges should be approved in this area.”

The symposium is hosted by the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, which has concerns about skewed sex ratios, respiratory problems, cancer and elevated rates of infant mortality.

Scientists are here from across North America to present study results on environmental pollution.

While no link can be established between serious health issues and the substances emitted from Chemical Valley, Aamjiwnaang Chief Chris Plain said there’s enough evidence to support his band’s concerns.

Aamjiwnaang band council passed a motion in December to oppose any new industry that has a negative impact on the First Nation and its members, Plain said.

“Our airshed is overburdened. We need a game plan to decide what to do next.”

During their opening remarks, Plain and Mayor Mike Bradley said a balance must be found between economic development and what’s good for human health.

“Prosperity and the environment should not be competing interests,” Bradley said. He called on Health Canada to make a commitment to fund a broad-based community health study. It’s been two years since a local group began advocating for the money, he said.

An alliance with Sarnia-Lambton, the government, First Nations and industry is urgently needed, Bradley added.

Health Canada provided partial funding for the symposium and sent a representative. But the federal official told The Observer he was not able to comment publicly.

Ecojustice Canada has been critical of the federal government for its silence on the issue. On Wednesday, MacDonald also urged the province to take a bigger role in establishing and enforcing regulations.

She also took industry to task for not responding to inquiries from Ecojustice Canada about pollution prevention activities.

Nothing beyond employee training is being reported, she said.

“We didn’t see anything like modification to their processes or substitution for materials that are known toxins. Nothing around spills prevention or vapour capture . . . if they are doing those things they should be reporting it.”

The symposium continues today with about 80 people participating from the First Nations, scientific community, environmental groups and government.