Windsor-Essex County sticks out as a toxic sore thumb in a national survey of industrial companies emitting pollution into air, water and land, according to a new study by the Citizens' Environment Alliance.
The 1997 NPRI is the fifth annual public report by Environment Canada. The report provides information on 176 substances, specifically on their releases to air, water, land and underground injection and off-site transfers for disposal and treatment from 1987 point sources (facilities) across Canada. The CEA study examines the local (Windsor-Essex) inventory and compares the data with the 1995 and 1996 reports. Its highlights include:
A total of 36 Windsor-Essex County facilities submitted reports to the NPRI in 1997, an increase of 2 from 1996 and an increase of 1 from 1995. 28 facilities reported in Windsor, 1 in Tecumseh, 2 in Amherstburg, 2 in Leamington, and 3 in Tilbury. There were 164 pollutant reports submitted by facilities in Windsor-Essex in 1997, an average of 4.6 pollutants per facility.
Facilities in Windsor-Essex County reported 42 pollutants to the 1997 NPRI, an increase of 23.5% over 1996. Facilities also reported 7 toxic/carcinogenic substances an increase of 1 (16.7%) over 1996.
Not only are more local companies reporting more toxic releases to the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI), but a two-month analysis by CEA researcher Derek Coronado of the latest figures covering 1997 shows local emissions for some of the worst hazardous and cancer-causing toxins, such as xylene, benzene, formaldehyde, lead and chromium, far exceed a similar but milder upward trend nationally.
Thirty-six facilities between Windsor and Tilbury emitted 4,092 tonnes of NPRI listed substances from their facilities in 1997, up 501 tonnes, or 14 per cent, from the previous year. An additional 3,892 tonnes -- up 109 per cent from 1996's 2,027 tonnes - were transferred off-site. The bulk of the former figure was emitted into the air, while most of the latter was evenly split between transfers to landfills and incinerators.
The combined total of local on-site releases and off-site transfers of the most toxic and carcinogenic pollutants among those facilities jumped a whopping 50 per cent, from 64 tonnes in 1996 to 191 tonnes in 1997.
"The bottom line is Windsor is in deepening trouble, particularly with air pollution," said Coronado.
Spokesmen for top local polluters like Amherstburg's General Chemical, DaimlerChrysler and the city's wastewater treatment plant, argue the most current federal figures are dated and that improvements have been or are being made that will reflect beneficially on them in future reports. Environmentalists also complain about the slowness in getting up-to-date information from Environment Canada's NPRI, the only legislated nation-wide and publically accessible pollutant inventory.
Coronado said his research points to a "double-barreled threat" -- not only are most local NPRI emissions into an already badly polluted airshed, but they represent some of the most harmful smog constituents, like toluene, xylene and benzene.
Doug Schmidt
Star Environment Reporter