Toxic threats today include brominated flame retardants and stick-free chemical coatings that are accumulating in our bodies and the environment. Toxic waste from used electronics parts desperately calls for more stringent regulation. Recent research indicates net increases in toxic pollution from U.S. based industries and grossly inefficient factories throughout the Canadian basin – including along the Saint Lawrence. While Great Lakes United works to improve the regulatory framework in place across the region we remain committed to environmental justice for communities and workers affected by the transition to clean production.
In our view, a strong coherent regime for protecting our communities from toxic pollution must be framed in existing agreements as well as domestic and international law to discourage the roll-back of environmental protections intended to attract investment. Our Main Goals Include:
- Full Implementation of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
- Public education on Great Lakes toxic threats and solution
- A focus on clean production policies and technologies over “end-of-the-pipe” pollution controls
- Ratification of the Stockholm Treaty to eliminate the 12 worst persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from commerce
Great Lakes United is advancing
efforts to identify emerging
chemicals of concern and to
phase out persistent toxic
substances through support
for Extended Producer Responsibility and advising the
Review of the Canada-US Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, participation
in the US
Great Lakes Regionl Collaboration, and through clean production training
and education.
John Jackson
jjackson@glu.org
Clean Production and Toxics
Campaign Coordinator |
