My interest in Chemical Valley developed after my grandfather died of cancer in October 2005. A Google search told me there are increased cases of certain types of cancer in Sarnia-Lambton thanks to chemical emissions, among a bevy of other health concerns. Now, I'm not saying Chemical Valley had anything to do with my grandpa's death. I'm not saying I'm certain I will die from cancer thanks to living in Lambton.
What I am saying is Chemical Valley is an area that needs to be given an increased priority in the mind's of residents and by the Canadian Ministry of the Environment. I petition you to consider the following five points:
1. Twenty per cent of all Canadian petrochemical and chemical refineries are located in this city of 72,000 along the St. Clair River. This 20 per cent provides 40 per cent of Canada's petrochemicals.
Think about it - almost half of Canada's petrochemicals are coming from this single area, which are, according to statistics provided to the federal government, releasing more that 187,000 kilograms of carcinogens into the air in Lambton.
2. An article by the Globe and Mail investigated a rare cancer - mesothelioma - which is alarmingly common in Sarnia. Caused by inhaling asbestos, mesothelioma is a cancer of the lung lining and results in a painful death. The Sarnia Occupational Health Clinic reported nearly 3,000 cases of various illnesses over six years in 2004 from mesotheliomas to brain and breast cancers.
The Globe article also points that "for men living in the community, the overall cancer rate was about 34 per cent higher than the provincial average, the lung-cancer rate 50 per cent higher, the mesothelioma rate five times higher and the asbestosis rate nine times higher."
3. The CBC produced an investigative report on the "Sarnia Blob," a messy concoction of chemicals, oil and even dry-cleaning solvent in the St. Clair River, next to Chemical Valley. The river provides 160,000 people on both the Canadian and American sides of the river with drinking water. And, as Lisa Matlovich of the Sarnia Environmental Activists pointed out, “it is a known fact in our community to not eat fish - at least more that once a week - from the St. Clair River. In addition, pregnant mothers are told not to eat the fish at all.”
4. Someone needs to actually be held accountable for accidental chemical leaks and emissions. While interviewing for my article on Chemical Valley, public relations representatives for the two companies who returned interview requests skirted around the question of whether emissions from their plants were harming the people and environment in Sarnia-Lambton. Their inability to answer this basic question tells me the companies in Chemical Valley, despite their "aggressive" environmental policies, are reluctant to take responsibility for the harm they are inflicting in the area.
Perhaps an impartial committee, separate from both the government and the chemical industry, needs to be formed to police what happens in Chemical Valley.
5. It's still beautiful. People ask why anyone would move to a place that evidently has higher rates of illness and why they would continue to live there.
In Lambton, we like our coffee in a Tim Horton's cup and our OHL team on a winning streak. There's never been a Starbucks in Sarnia (yet) and if you want to shop at the Gap, you have to day trip down the 402 to London, Ont. Tractors are sexy and labourers are valued above the guy buttoning a white collar.
The truth is Chemical Valley is part of Sarnia-Lambton's identity and many, many people work there, either as chemists, receptionists or in manual labour. If we were to lose the Valley, we'd lose a source of employment and a sense of identity. We just need to figure out how to green up our identity a little bit.
To read more on Chemical Valley and to view statistics and maps, visit Global 360.
1 comment:
I know this is an old blog but I agree with what was written. I just moved to Sarnia from Toronto and am amazed at how people just accept Chemical Valley as a part of their life.
I often ask my girlfriend "doesn't this concern you the least bit" with little answers. Since I have been down here, I have met more people with respritory problems (sp?)and cancers then I ever knew up in my hometown of 6 million. Case in point, I never knew anyone personal with cancer. Down here, close friends to my girlfriends family, I have met 4 off the top of my head. I find it overwhelming and concerning.
Working a physical job, I am use to the heat and smog..I am very hard headed and won't stop until home time. I have a much easier job down here in Sarnia working outside but notice when the wind shifts from the south, I can hardly breathe. From a person not raised here, an outsider looking in, I still see a problem here in 2007. Unfortunatley, I find to Sarnia folk, its just "there"...like rush hour in Toronto and theres not much to be done about it.
Post a Comment