Chemical Valley Flashcards
Chemical Valley Facilities
-57 facilities within 25km of Sarnia are registered as polluters with Canada and US Govs
Aamjiwnaang First Nation
- surrounded by chemical valley on 3 sides
- proximity would not be allowed due to current zoning laws
- concerns about pollution (leaks) that are not reported to the public
Benzene Acute Health Effects
- narcosis, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, tremor and loss of consciousness
- eye and skin irritation
Benzene Chronic Health Effects
- known carcinogen
- causes acute myeloid leukaemia
- may cause acute or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma
- reduce production of white and red blood cells from bone marrow causing aplastic anaemia
- reduced b-cell proliferation and T-cell proliferation (lowered immune sys)
- chromosomal abberations
- reduction in BR, fetotoxic in mice and rabbits
Reported Health Effects
- cancer, leukaemia
- respiratory and cardiovascular illness
- high rates of learning disabilities
Risk of Being Constantly STRESSED
- stress, lack of control and feeling of hopelessness
- what will happen if a leak occurs?
- evacuation?
- people have no power against the big oil companies
Body Mapping (coloured-dot pic of human body)
- collects health complaints within a community
- affixes colour-coded stickers to a human body map to reflect symptoms
- combines results to identify shared concerns
Community Mapping
- participating in research strategy
- tracked brith ratio data over a 20 year period
- found decline in male birth rate (86 girls: 46 boys from 1993 to 2003)
Bucket Brigades
- community participation in environmental monitoring and regulating
- sample the air in community (log time and wind direction; document physical sensations and smells)
- low-cost grab samplers, accessible materials and easy to use
- sent to testing site in California
- not recognized by the Ontario Government
- cost of bucket brigades is supported by reserve
Body Mapping Statistics
- 17% of adults and 22% of children have asthma
- 25% of adults experienced high blood pressure and/or chronic headaches
- 25% of children suffered from learning and behavioural problems
- 40% of women had experienced miscarriage or stillbirth
Challenges of Community Knowledge Production
- empowering to collect data and take action
- more knowledge= more power in the fight
- lived experiences and community led knowledge production are viewed as inadequate or illegitimate (not scientifically proven)
- not recognized by gov officials as in need of action
- costs fall on the community
- need for in-depth health studies (not funded by the industry)
Reproductive Health
-endocrine disrupting or “gender bending” chemicals in nearby waterways
-e.g. PCBs, cadmium, arsenic and lead detected in Talfourd creek
-intersex fish, feminized amphibians, reproductive abnormalities in wildlife have occurred
-birth rates from 1993-2003= 2 females: 1 male
declining male birth rate from 1993
-40% of women reported miscarriage or stillbirth
-lack of study of the impact on reproductive health
Reproductive Justice
- right to have children in a healthy and safe environment
- reproduction of individuals and communities has been controlled through oppression
- environmental degradation effects and environmental justice intersect
- CHEMICAL VALLEY- pollution affects the reproductive health of individuals on Aamjiwnaang reserve and the indigenous’ community’s ability to reproduce
Child Health
- effecting the health of a generation of children
- it’s implicated as an issue of reproductive justice
Main Points about Chemical Valley
- environmental paradox
- environmental racism (reproductive justice)
- lived experience and community demonstrate the need for more research and regulation
