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Canada factories emit more pollution
Nation's power plants release far more toxic chemicals than American counterparts, report says.
Brad Heath / The Detroit News
February 9, 2006
Factories and power plants in Canada send far more pollution up their smokestacks than their counterparts on the U.S. side of the Great Lakes, according to a report by two environmental groups that is among the first to measure pollution on both sides of the border.
Canadian industries near the Great Lakes, on average, released 73 percent more toxic chemicals from their smokestacks than American plants, the report found. And while U.S. facilities have cut air pollution levels markedly between 1998 and 2002, the most recent figures available, releases from Canadian plants increased 3 percent.
The report is scheduled to be released today by Toronto-based Environmental Defence and the Canadian Environmental Law Association. It comes at a time when the United States and Canada are again considering changes to their 1972 agreement for stanching the flow of toxic chemicals into the Great Lakes.
"Because we have a smaller industrial base, people think we're cleaner. There's good evidence that's not the case," law association Executive Director Paul Muldoon said. He said part of the explanation may lie with less-efficient plants and less-robust Canadian regulations.
"I think we're in this complacent mode where we think we've resolved the issue and can move on. But we still have homework to do."
The groups measured the average level of pollution for each facility. They found Canadian plants released chemicals known or thought to cause cancer at a rate double that of U.S. industry. Emissions of toxins linked to reproductive and developmental disorders were more than four times higher.
U.S. industry still accounts for nearly two-thirds of the toxic chemicals released each year in the vast region that feeds the Great Lakes, simply because the U.S. side of the basin is much more heavily industrialized. The total releases were more than 700,000 tons.
The report is based on pollution totals companies are required to report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada.
You can reach Brad Heath at (313) 222-2563 or bheath@detnews.com.
Nation's power plants release far more toxic chemicals than American counterparts, report says.
Brad Heath / The Detroit News
February 9, 2006
Factories and power plants in Canada send far more pollution up their smokestacks than their counterparts on the U.S. side of the Great Lakes, according to a report by two environmental groups that is among the first to measure pollution on both sides of the border.
Canadian industries near the Great Lakes, on average, released 73 percent more toxic chemicals from their smokestacks than American plants, the report found. And while U.S. facilities have cut air pollution levels markedly between 1998 and 2002, the most recent figures available, releases from Canadian plants increased 3 percent.
The report is scheduled to be released today by Toronto-based Environmental Defence and the Canadian Environmental Law Association. It comes at a time when the United States and Canada are again considering changes to their 1972 agreement for stanching the flow of toxic chemicals into the Great Lakes.
"Because we have a smaller industrial base, people think we're cleaner. There's good evidence that's not the case," law association Executive Director Paul Muldoon said. He said part of the explanation may lie with less-efficient plants and less-robust Canadian regulations.
"I think we're in this complacent mode where we think we've resolved the issue and can move on. But we still have homework to do."
The groups measured the average level of pollution for each facility. They found Canadian plants released chemicals known or thought to cause cancer at a rate double that of U.S. industry. Emissions of toxins linked to reproductive and developmental disorders were more than four times higher.
U.S. industry still accounts for nearly two-thirds of the toxic chemicals released each year in the vast region that feeds the Great Lakes, simply because the U.S. side of the basin is much more heavily industrialized. The total releases were more than 700,000 tons.
The report is based on pollution totals companies are required to report to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada.
You can reach Brad Heath at (313) 222-2563 or bheath@detnews.com.