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June 7, 2006 Toxins in Sarnians raise health alarms John Miner London Free Press A study that found a cocktail of toxic chemicals in two Sarnia families has sparked calls for a region-wide health study. Released yesterday by an environmental lobby group, the tests found a total of 43 chemicals in the bodies of the Sarnia volunteers. The chemicals included products linked to reproductive disorders, cancer, respiratory illnesses and disruptions of the hormone system. The tests also found high levels of heavy metals in the Sarnia families, a result a Sarnia doctor said is a wake-up call that shouldn't be ignored. "That is worrisome because these metals are well-known carcinogens, neurotoxins and in many cases hormonal disrupters," said Jim Brophy, who is also executive director of the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers. Sarnia, with its extensive petrochemical industry, is considered an environmental hot spot in Canada. Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said he will press for a scientific health study that covers Sarnia and Lambton County. "We have heard so much anecdotal information over the years. I firmly believe there needs to be a health study of the region," Bradley said. The study by Environmental Defence, formerly known as the Canadian Environmental Defence Fund, tested families from Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, New Brunswick and Sarnia for a total of 68 chemicals known or suspected to cause health problems. The analysis was conducted at laboratories in Quebec and British Columbia. Sandy Kinart, a Sarnia mother, was found to be the most polluted adult tested with 37 toxic chemicals in her body, including the highest level for arsenic. Her daughter, Shari Scarpelli, had 24 toxic chemicals and the highest levels of two organophosphate insecticides. Environmental Defence also tested a grandfather, father and granddaughter on the Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia -- Wilson Plain Sr., Wilson Plain Jr., and 14-year-old Jessie Plain. Wilson Plain Sr. had the highest concentration of PCBs of the 15 studied. Brophy said the study is important because up to now contaminants have been found in the soil, water and air, but people haven't been tested. "This is a very important wake-up call, not just for Sarnia, although it has real ramifications there, but for the whole country," he said. Scientists don't know what the safe levels are for many of the chemicals, Brophy said. The study, released at a public meeting last night, follows a 2005 study paid for by the University of Western Ontario that found twice as many girls as boys are being born in the Sarnia native community, raising fears environmental contamination has disrupted human reproduction. While Sarnia had some of the highest contamination levels in the latest study, the program director for Environmental Defence said it would be wrong to believe the problem was concentrated there. CHEMICAL COCKTAIL Number of chemicals recognized or suspected of harming health that were detected in a study of a Sarnia family: Carcinogen Grandfather 25 Hormone disrupter Grandfather 16 Respiratory toxin Grandfather 6 Reproductive/developmental toxin Grandfather 25 Neurotoxin Grandfather 13 |
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