Toxicological Effects

Residents of the Aamjiwnaang reserve have long suspected that their disease rates are much higher than average.

Community members voice concerns over high miscarriage rates, respiratory illnesses, cancers, learning/behaviour disabilities in children, arthritis, and skin rashes, among other things. Aamjiwnaang people speculate that there is approximately one illness-related death per month in the community of only 850.

Unfortunately, it has been an extreme challenge getting the government to conduct health studies due to a lack of funding.

In 2009, Aamjiwnaang environmental activist Ada Lockbridge requested that an official air quality assessment of the reserve be conducted by the government. The Environmental Bill of Rights promised her that it would be done “within a reasonable time.” By 2017, the assessment had still not happened, so she took the province to court.

“Eight years is not reasonable. I don’t know if they’re waiting for me to die or what, but I’m still here and I haven’t given up yet.”

Ada Lockbridge, Aamjiwnaang activist

“Sarnia-area residents are not lab rats and should not have to breathe in such a potent cocktail of toxic chemicals. They deserve to have proper safeguards in place to protect their health.”

Dr. Elaine MacDonald, Senior Scientist with Ecojustice

One study in 1996 looked at toxicants in the soil and water. It was independently conducted by the University of Windsor, and found elevated levels of mercury, pesticides, arsenic, and lead in the soil and creek beds.

For decades and only until very recently, no official scientific studies had ever been conducted on air quality.

Chemical industries are required to sound an alarm if a leak or spill occurs at their production sites, but are not required to collect data about long-term chemical exposure in the air.

In fact, there is such a lack of air quality evaluations in the region that Aamjiwnaang residents have created an air testing kit that they call a “Bucket Brigade”.

• Carcinogenic chemicals in the air are 44x higher than is considered safe
• Sulphur dioxide levels are 10x higher than in Toronto and Ottawa
  • Sulphur dioxide causes decreased fertility in men and women and impacts lung function
• Benzene levels are 30x higher than in Toronto and Ottawa
  • Benzene is proven to cause leukaemia and other blood cancers
• 1,3-butadiene levels are 27x higher than in London and Ottawa
  • 1,3-butadiene increases leukaemia risk

Additionally, women are reported to have a 39% chance of miscarriage, compared to the national average of 10-15%. The number of girls being born in the community is roughly twice the number of boys being born, hinting to further impacts on fertility.

Data that has been gathered for Sarnia residents is also applicable to the Aamjiwnaang reserve, as many people in the community are employed by the petrochemical industry as well.

Studies have shown that Mesothelioma cancer rates in Sarnia males are 4-6 times higher, and lung cancer rates are 50% higher, than the provincial average (due to the majority of petrochemical workers being male).