Clean Production and Toxics

Sarnia conference examines chemical impact on communities

co-authored by Mike Gilbertson, Occupational and Environmental Health Research Group

In March, an unusual conference of community activists and human health experts was held in Sarnia, Ontario to discuss the impacts that toxics are having in that community. The conference became a rallying cry for environmental and social justice for those most subjected to the devastating impacts of chemical use in our society.

Forty percent of Canadian bulk chemicals are produced in Sarnia, making it the chemical capital of Canada. The city is also one of the 43 Areas of Concern, or toxic hotspots, designated under the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. In the midst of this chemical valley is the reserve of the Aamjiwnaang, the Chippewa of Sarnia. Their reserve is surrounded on all sides by huge chemical processing complexes.

In 2005, the scale of the effects on the Aamjiwnaang of living here suddenly came into focus when Ada Lockridge, a member of the Aamjiwnaang, the Chippewa of Sarnia, co-authored a scientific paper on the serious changes in sex-ratio that were occurring in her native community. In collaboration with Marg Keith of the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers and Connie Mackenzie a medical student from Ottawa University, Ada analysed band membership records for 1984 – 2003. Around 1995 significant changes in sex ratio started to occur. By 2002 the number of boys compared to the number of girls was reduced by about 60% (only 7 boys in 29 births). These findings prompted several studies including chemical analyses of soil, sediment, air, wildlife and food samples from the Aamjiwnaang reservation, a health survey, and analyses of data about toxics emissions by industry in the community.

To further explore this issue with a broad array of concerned scientists and activists, the Aamjiwnaang Health and Environment Committee hosted an Environmental Health Symposium on March 25-27, 2008, in Sarnia. After a colourful opening ceremony with native drummers and singers, Chief Chris Plain welcomed the participants and posed the dilemma facing the community: the reserve is relatively prosperous, partly from the jobs provided by the chemical industry, but is the cost in terms of chemically-induced disease too high? Chief Plain was followed by Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley who offered to form an alliance between the Aamjiwnaang and the City of Sarnia to investigate the health situation.

Elaine MacDonald of Ecojustice set the context for the scientific studies with a keynote address titled Exposing Canada’s Chemical Valley in which the releases from 46 Canadian and 16 U.S. industrial facilities within 25 kilometres of the reserve were documented. Subsequent presentations included: results of surveys of the effects of chemicals on fish and wildlife in the Area of Concern; analyses of blood samples from band members; results of the Aamjiwnaang health studies; reports on the elevated rates of hospitalization in Sarnia compared to London, Ontario and on the Sarnia mesothelioma epidemic; sex ratio changes on the Aamjiwnaang reserve and in Sarnia and Lambton County; and a review of the etiological factors and mechanisms.

After a bus tour of the neighbourhood, there was a supper and evening meeting at the Aamjiwnaang Community Centre, where approximately 100 community members heard presentations by Drs. Ted Schettler and Elizabeth Guillette on the effects of pollution on child development.

Dr. Devra Davis opened the second day with a keynote address on the need for the formation of a new social movement to respond to health concerns from environmental pollution. Community representatives from Walpole Island, the Navaho Nation, Seton Lake, British Columbia, Detroit, and a union representative from Grangemouth in Scotland gave accounts of their struggles for social justice in polluted environments.

The meeting ended with a call for a toxics free environment and one in which environmental and social justice are primary decision-making factors.

The Aamjiwnaang are confronted with an unresolved dilemma: should they stay and try to improve environmental conditions so that their health and that of their children are not harmed or should they seek a new reservation in a cleaner environment? While they tackle these questions, the Aamjiwnaang people confront yet another major possible pollution source south of their reserve. Shell Canada wants to build a huge facility there to refine oil from the Alberta tar sands.

The challenge for the Aamjiwnaang and for the wider Great Lakes community is to translate the findings in this community into social action to persuade governments to implement pollution prevention provisions in domestic environmental legislation and in the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.

© 2008 Great Lakes News.