toronto pollution newspaper article
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This article concerns the rising pollution levels in Toronto and its negative implications on residents in the city.TRANSCRIPT
Redefining a Breath of Fresh Air in Toronto
1
A look at Air Pollution in Toronto, the Government’s
inaction, and how the environment and our bodies are
wreaking the pain.
Did you know that Toronto is
one of the most polluted cities in the
world? Every time you take a breath of
air in the city your body becomes filled
with toxic chemicals. After a 10-year
study, Toronto has been established as
the 4th largest polluted city in the
world when compared to 27 major cities
worldwide.1 Followed by New York,
Beijing, and Los Angeles, Toronto is
considered a mass environmental
straggler rather than an environmental
leader.
What is causing our city to be so
polluted? The burning of fossil fuels and
toxic gas emissions from industry and
power plants are the leading causes of air
pollution. Downtown driving and the
lack of laws to reduce harmful emissions
in Toronto are causing unnatural toxins
to flood the air. According to a report by
Global News’ Sean Smallen last
Wednesday, there are 11,000 pollutant
emitters in the city and only those that
emit more than 10 tons annually, are
required to report. Canada’s National
Pollutant Release Inventory, an agency
that provides information on pollutants in
the air, requires that only the largest
emitters in the city need to report. This
leaves the city with thousands of other
emitters that continue to release large
amounts of toxins into the air. Smallen
noted that only 3% of polluters are
required to submit paperwork, which
accounts for less than 25% of Toronto
emissions. This leaves the polluters that
do not have to report continuing to
produce three quarters of our city’s air
pollution.
The long-term effects of
pollution are the developments of smog
and acid rain, which pose a hazardous
impact on the environment and the
1 Star, Toronto. "Clear targets needed to cut emissions." Daily Mercury (Guelph, Ont.). 13 Oct 2006. A11. eLibrary. Proquest. 09 Feb 2007. <http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/canada>.
human body.2 Even though humans are
the environmental culprits, the
government has the ultimate power to
improve the Canadian environment.
Rules need to be set to enforce those of
the automobile and power plant
industries to reduce emissions.
According to the Toronto
Environmental Alliance (TEA), a group
devoted to finding solutions to Toronto’s
environmental problems, the government
is not living up to its responsibilities.
TEA’s energy campaigner Dr. Franz
Hartmann explains “4,500 Torontonians
will die prematurely due to smog over
the next three years.”3 While the
government supports the Clean Air Act,
an organization created to protect our
environment, the government does not
realize that the organization is not
effective. Hartmann explains that the
Clean Air Act plans to engage in three
more years of discussion before solutions
are fulfilled. Hartmann argues that there
has been a decade of talk about
implementing solutions, though since no
real action has been taken, the air just
keeps deteriorating. The government’s
inaction is actually making Toronto’s air
quality problems worse.
2
As the government is the central
power holder in today’s society, the TEA
group is calling on the government to
raise regulations on greenhouse gas
emissions coming from vehicles,
industry, and power plants in Toronto.
Since Toronto has made the decision to
ban indoor pollution (cigarette smoke),
TEA believes that the government has
the power to restrict hazardous outdoor
pollution. This year, TEA has requested
that both the provincial and federal
governments restrict the emission of
greenhouse gases that are decaying the
air. Plus, they are advocating for a
greener public transit system and
demanding limits to urban sprawl. The
group is also promoting the use of green
cars and green energy to replace
2 “Air pollution kills thousands each year: Health Canada.” CBC News, Toronto, 2006 <http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2005/05/02/airpollution050502.html>.3 Winesberg, Harry. “Clean Air Act Press Release.” Toronto Environmental Alliance 19 Oct 2006. 22 Jan 2007 <http://www.torontoenvironment.org/node/3>.
hazardous chemicals coming from
nuclear plants.
Last October, TEA’s annual air
quality report concluded that Toronto’s
air quality level is currently rated a
‘D.’ This study measured air pollution in
areas across the city to identify where
improvements have been made and what
problems are still to be resolved. On a
positive account, the study found that the
number of green vehicles have increased
in Toronto, although there are still not
enough to make a significant change to
the air quality. The report concluded that
Toronto is lacking in an effort to obtain
greener sources of energy. Solutions that
need to be implemented include the use
of wind and solar power, the reduction of
pollutant emissions, and the promotion of
a bike and pedestrian-friendly Toronto.4
3
A recent article in the Toronto
Star explained that Toronto’s poor
environmental situation is a top
priority for 2007: a year where solutions
need to be fulfilled. Why is this the year
of change? Green activists explain that
public concern is high as air pollution is
worse then ever before. While the
current conservative government is now
showing that they want to take action,
green activists are pushing the idea that
changes need to be made soon. These
activists along with the TEA group are
currently calling on all levels of
government to execute change.
Specifically, they are requesting that the
Harper Government make some clear
targets to cut emissions, set a date to
which auto companies make reductions,
and most essentially create a clear
timeline.5
Green activists have argued for
many years that the government is not
only ignoring the issue, but is fooling
citizens into believing that change is 4 Winesberg, Harry. “Clean Air Act Press Release.” Toronto Environmental Alliance 19 Oct 2006. 22 Jan 2007 <http://www.torontoenvironment.org/3/print>. 5 Gorrie, Peter. “2007: The Environment’s Time.” Toronto Star 8 Jan 2004: C5.
being made. Since it is expensive for the
government to physically clean the air,
green activists believe that the
government merely promotes the idea
that they are cleaning up the environment
(via ad campaigns) in order to conceal
their inaction. Activists conclude that it
costs less to promote an ad campaign
than it does to do the dirty work. For
example, Shell Canada continuously
promotes itself as an environmentally
friendly business, when in reality the
company constantly harms the
environment though the production of
heavy sour crude.
4
After decades of promises from
the federal government to make positive
changes to the environment, no action
has been taken. Last year with the
election of Stephen Harper to Prime
Minister change began to seem hopeful,
as he described his plan to turn the
environment around like Brian
Mulrooney did in the past. After a year
of talk, real action has not been taken.
Even though the Harper government has
addressed the environment as a top
priority alongside taxes and crime, it is
being put off.
Currently, government officials
are having prolonged debates with
automakers about emission reduction.6
Last October, Harper met with auto
executives to discuss emission
regulations, although they could not
come to a conclusive decision. During
their debate automakers tried to convince
him that the auto industry needs time to
adjust, and now it seems as though they
have won.7
While automakers are prolonging
inaction, they are not the only ones to
blame for the lack of environmental
cleanup. The government continues to
6 Chartrand, Fred. “Harper says environment to be priority in 2007.” Canadian Press, Ottawa, 2006 <http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/articlenews/story/ctvnews/20061219/harper_yearend_061219?s_name=&no>7 Star, Toronto. "Clearing the air on Clean Air Act; All emissions are not the same Older autos are major contributors." Toronto Star. 28 Oct 2006. G25. eLibrary. Proquest. 09 Feb 2007. <http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/canada>.
step back because of the cost of having to
rebuild the environment. While it is true
that the government will need to spend
significant funds to clean up the air, they
need to realize that by not taking action
now, problems are going to continue to
get worse and more expensive in the
future. By not implementing change
now, air pollution will increase and more
people will get sick. According to a
recent study by the Ontario Medical
Association, “air pollution costs
Ontario more than one billion dollars
a year in hospital admissions as a
result of illnesses triggered by air
pollution.”8 Thus, it is already costing
the government billions by ignoring the
problem.
5
Toronto’s poor air quality not
only floats outside Toronto streets but
within the bodies of Canadians. While
harmful chemicals increasingly interrupt
the ecosystem and dangerously cause
temperature change, rates of illness are
also increasing. Greenhouse gases,
smog, and the burning of fossil fuels, are
three major cancer-causing pollutants
that leave thousands of Torontonians
dead each year.9 In 2005, Health Canada
reported that air pollution is the leading
cause of death in Canada when
compared to other fatal reasons such as
cancer, vehicle accidents, and skin and
viral diseases. Health Canada’s 2006
report concluded that approximately
5,900 deaths are attributed to air
pollution annually in Canada, which is
slightly higher than the estimated 5,000
deaths recognized by the study in 2002.10
In Toronto alone, there were nearly
2,000 early deaths and 6,000 hospital
admissions in 2006. This is an increase
from the previous study in 2002 that
calculated a rate of 1,400 early deaths
and 5,500 hospital admissions.11
8 Environment Canada. “Air pollution is linked to varying degrees to a number of health concerns.” Canada’s Clean Air Act, 2006.9 Ferguson, Alan. "A ton of Canadians will agree with this crackdown on toxic chemicals." Vancouver Province. 12 Dec 2006. A20. eLibrary. Proquest. 09 Feb 2007. <http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/canada>.10 Health Canada. “Air Pollution kills estimated 5,900 Canadians every year.” Health Canada News Release, Ottawa 2006 <http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/nr-cp/2006/2006_32_e.html>.11 “Tiny air pollutants linked to heart disease.” CBC News, Toronto, 2007 <http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/01/31/particulates-heart.html?ref=rss#skip300x250>.
6
So what exactly in the air is
killing Canadians? According to a recent
health study conducted by Health
Canada, tiny airborne particles are the
culprits. Scientifically titled PM 2.5,
these particles are made up of invisible
pieces of dust that come from a
combination of vehicle, power plant, and
industry pollutants. These particles cling
to toxic gases in the air, and once
breathed in, they attach to the blood
vessels and the lungs and cause
inflammation. Contact with these
particles will aggravate the respiratory
and cardiovascular systems, which can
lead to breathing problems and heart
disease.12
A study by the Environmental
Defence Department, a company that
researches the quality of the environment
and public health, tested six adults and
seven children to measure the amount of
toxic chemicals within their bodies.
After testing a urine and blood sample
from each person, between 40 and 50
industrial chemicals were found within
the adults while even higher levels
were found in the children. Executive
director of Environmental Defence, Rick
Smith, said quote “harmful pollutants
are contaminating the bodies of
Canadians no matter where they live,
how old they are, or where they
work.”13 Smith concluded that children
are more vulnerable than adults because
the toxins could disrupt hormonal
developments.
7
After a year from which the
Environmental Defences’ study was
released, the statistics did not seem to
push the Harper government to think
twice about their environmental inaction.
As a solution, last month the
Environmental Defence Department
came up with a study to make the
12 “Tiny air pollutants linked to heart disease.” CBC News, Toronto, 2007 <http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2007/01/31/particulates-heart.html?ref=rss#skip300x250>.13 Favaro, Avis. “Pollutions tiniest toxins get trapped in body.” CTV News, Toronto, 2003 <http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/articlenews/story/ctvnews/1053386040554_32/hub=ctvnews>
effects of air pollution hit the
politicians close to home. In order to
ultimately capture the Harper
government’s attention, the study was
created to measure the bodies of four
federal politicians for 103 different
pollutants. NDP leader Jack Layton,
Liberal MP John Godfrey, Environment
Minister Rona Ambrose, and Health
Minister Tony Clement favourably
volunteered. The study surprisingly
concluded that each politician had
between 50 and 55 chemicals trapped
within their bodies. This study
inevitably confirmed Environmental
Defence Minister Rick Smith’s statement
that pollution affects everyone.
According to Smith, Environmental
Defence is hopeful that these results will
grab the Harper government’s attention
to finally rid harmful substances in the
air Canadians breathe.14 While this study
confirms the hazardous affects of
polluted air on the body, these numbers
also come as an effective way to shock
politicians.
Earlier this month Harper made a
speech to the Canadian Council in
Ottawa admitting that after more than a
decade of inaction on improving air
quality, Canada is deteriorating. Harper
repeatedly admitted “Canada has one of
the worst records in the developed
world.”15 It is difficult to decipher
whether this statement should be viewed
as a move to improve the environment or
a sheer backlash against the previous
government. Harper went on to explain
that he understands the concerns of
Canadians and concluded that he
promises to impose strict fuel efficiency
standards for automobiles beginning
2011. But what about implementing
changes now? Why do we have to wait
so many years? Canadian politician
David McGuinty criticized Harpers
promise by arguing, “this is an
opportunity or an attempt by the
Prime Minister to buy time and give
the impression he is doing something
meaningful.”16
8
14 Environmental Defence. “Pollutants Contaminate Blood of Federal Politicians – Results show pollutants found in the environment.” Environmental Defence News Releases, Toronto 2007 <http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/toxicnation/press/viewnews.php?rd=3>.15 Chartrand, Fred. “Harper Rolls out Tory Governments new agenda.” Canadian press, Ottawa, 2007 <http://www.ctv.ca/2007205/harper_speech >. 16 Chartrand, Fred. “Harper Rolls out Tory Governments new agenda.” Canadian press, Ottawa, 2007 <http://www.ctv.ca/2007205/harper_speech >.
The prevention of air pollution is
a team effort. Scientists and researchers,
business leaders, legislators, and the
public need to get together to brainstorm
and problem solve. As Harper has
promised to not implement change for
four more years, we must rely on
ourselves as citizens to improve the
environment. However, it is becoming
difficult to rely on us to make efficient
decisions. Environmental regulatory
agencies consistently advocate the use of
alternative fuels and alternative
transportation such as walking, yet there
is still no groundbreaking change.17
According to Health Canada, the public
do not seem to be giving up their
SUV’s. Health Canada reports that more
people are driving sport-utility vehicles
more than ever before.18 So what is the
solution? As a mass of public
environmental cleaning becomes
unattainable, society needs the
government to enforce strict laws to
prevent air pollution.
All Canadians can do is wait for
the Harper government to implement
change. According to Toronto Scientist
Richard Peltier, if the Harper government
does not take action soon, Toronto and
all of Canada will lose its strength. He
said quote “It’s a very sad thing to
recognize, especially as Canadians,
because we pride ourselves on having
such a beautiful environment to live
in.”19 As Canadian citizens all we can do
is hope and anticipate that Toronto and
the rest of Canada will eventually
transform from an environmental
straggler to a healthy environmental
leader.
By: Kelly Foss
(250328894)
17 Fulton, Jim. "BREATHING EASIER." Alternatives Journal. 31 Jan 2002. p 36. eLibrary. Proquest. 09 Feb 2007. <http://elibrary.bigchalk.com/canada>.18 Health Canada. “Road Traffic and Air Pollution.” Air Health Effects Division, Ottawa, 2005. 19 Wahl, Nicole. “Forecasting Earth’s Past and Future.” News@UofT : Science and Technology 8 Nov 2004. 28 Jan 2007 <http://www.news.utoronto.ca/bin6/041108-670.asp>.
Toronto Star News writer