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In light of this kind of report, what the Bush administration is proposing to do with the clean air and water acts appears criminal in intent. ----- Original Message ----- From: "M.Schild" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, January 10, 2006 5:11 AM Subject: Toxic chemicals in Canada > Harmful Toxic Chemicals Pollute Blood of Canadians > Groundbreaking Toxic Nation report reveals pollution inside people > across > Canada > Ottawa , Ontario - A cocktail of harmful toxic chemicals has been > found > inside every person tested in a Canada-wide study, released today by > Environmental Defence. Two volunteers were tested in British > Columbia , one > in Alberta , one in Manitoba , three in Ontario , three in Quebec > and one in > Newfoundland and Labrador . > The groundbreaking report, Toxic Nation: A Report on Pollution in > Canadians , > reveals that toxic chemicals, such as DDT, PCBs, stain repellants, > flame > retardants, mercury and lead, are contaminating Canadians. Many of > the > chemicals discovered in the bodies of Canadians are associated with > cancer, > hormone disruption, reproductive disorders, respiratory illnesses > and harming > the development of children. > The report is the first in Canada to test for a broad range of > chemicals in > average Canadians from across the country, and it demonstrates that > toxic > chemicals contaminate people no matter where they live, how old they > are or > what they do for a living. > "If you can walk, talk and breathe , you're contaminated," said Dr. > Rick > Smith, Executive Director, Environmental Defence. "Canadians are > exposed > everyday and in incredibly insidious ways to harmful toxic > chemicals. We are > guinea pigs in a massive, uncontrolled, chemical experiment, the > disastrous > outcome of which is measured in disease and death." > Toxic Nation: A Report on Pollution in Canadians tested the blood > and urine of > 11 volunteers from Salt Spring Island in British Columbia to St. > John's in > Newfoundland and Labrador . Working with qualified laboratories in > Quebec and > Texas , Environmental Defence tested the volunteers for 88 > individual > chemicals. The laboratories found a total of 60 of the 88 chemicals > tested > (68 per cent), including 53 chemicals that can cause reproductive > disorders > and harm the development of children, 41 suspected cancer-causing > chemicals, > 27 chemicals that can disrupt the hormone system and 21 chemicals > associated > with respiratory illnesses. On average, 44 chemicals were found in > each > volunteer. > "I think of myself as a healthy person, so of course I found my test > results > to be unsettling. No one wants to learn that they have heavy metals, > PCBs or > other toxic chemicals in their blood," said Nycole Turmel, National > President > of the Public Service Alliance of Canada, based in Ottawa . "But > more > importantly, my tests results have underlined for me the importance > of > strengthening CEPA. We need a pollution law with teeth - one that is > comprehensive and enforceable. We need a law that will hold > polluters > accountable and help create a cleaner environment." The Toxic Nation > study > found 51 chemicals in Nycole Turmel. > "I am very alarmed by the results of my blood tests for pollutants," > said > David Masty, Chief of the Whapmagoostui First Nation in northern > Quebec . > "The movement of pollutants through the atmosphere is a reality we > are > concerned about in the North as it harms our lands, waters and air, > and > affects the wildlife resources we depend on for our way of life. If > other > countries have taken action to reduce or eliminate some pollutants, > Canada > should follow suit." The study found 51 chemicals in David Masty. > Chief Masty had the highest levels of mercury and persistent organic > pollutants such as PCBs and organochlorine pesticides. These > findings support > the fact that many chemicals tend to accumulate in the North, > despite the > distance from most stationary sources of industrial pollution. > The levels of some chemicals detected in the volunteers suggest that > effective > regulation to ban the most harmful toxic substances can reduce the > pollution > in people over time. Older volunteers in the Toxic Nation study had > higher > levels of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), which were banned in > Canada in > 1977, than the younger volunteers. > "Participating in this testing program was very important to me," > said artist > and naturalist Robert Bateman, from his home on Salt Spring Island . > "Not > only am I curious about my own chemical contamination, but it is > even more > vital that the public as a whole pays attention." The Toxic Nation > study > found 48 chemicals in Robert Bateman. > Toxic Nation: A Report on Pollution in Canadians calls on the > federal > government to ensure Canadians receive the same level of protection > from > toxic chemicals as Europeans and Americans, two jurisdictions that > are on > their way to being well ahead of Canada in regulating harmful > chemicals. > With the mandated five-year review of Canada 's national pollution > law - the > Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) - Environmental > Defence calls > on the federal government to: > virtually eliminate the use of toxic chemicals, starting with some > of the most > harmful: brominated flame retardants (PBDEs), perfluorinated > chemicals and > their precursors (PFOS), and phthalates (chemicals that make > plastics soft); > make industry accountable for its chemicals; > regulate chemicals in consumer products through CEPA; and, > create a special section in CEPA to focus on pollution reduction in > the Great > Lakes basin. > Individual Canadians can also act to reduce their exposure to > harmful toxic > chemicals by taking the Chemical Reduction Pledge on the Toxic > Nation web > site - www.toxicnation.ca . By filling out the pledge, people can > choose five > ways to reduce their exposure to chemicals through simple changes in > their > daily lives. The Toxic Nation test volunteers made individual > Chemical > Reduction Pledges which are available to view online at > www.toxicnation.ca/pollutioninyou. > "Our report demonstrates clearly the urgent need for the federal > government to > act now to break the cycle of human contamination," said Dr. Smith. > "The > federal Minister of the Environment has a new deadline: when can we > expect, > as a society, to be able to produce toxin-free babies?" > Toxic Nation: A Report on Pollution in Canadians, including test > results of > the individual volunteers from across Canada , is available for free > on the > Toxic Nation web site: www.toxicnation.ca . > About Environmental Defence: Environmental Defence protects the > environment > and human health. We research. We educate. We go to court when we > have to. > All in order to ensure clean air, safe food and thriving ecosystems. > Nationwide. > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: > mailto:[log in to unmask] > In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn