The Province of PEI has agreed to national standards to reduce emissions of several pollutants which pose human health risks and threaten air and water quality.
Minister of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Environment Chester Gillan signed the Canada-Wide Standards at a meeting of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment in Manitoba this week. Ministers ratified standards for mercury-containing lamps, dioxins and furans, and petroleum hydrocarbons in soil, and agreed in principle to phase two of the standard for benzene.
"These new standards affect all Islanders because the health of our environment has a direct impact on human health," said Minister Gillan. "Air quality is particularly important for children, elderly citizens and people with asthma and other respiratory conditions; and a safe water supply is critical to the health of all citizens."
The Canada-Wide Standards process allows governments to work together to set priorities, develop standards and set out complementary strategies to achieve the standards. Most standards set numeric targets for reductions, time frames to reach those targets, preliminary actions and a framework for monitoring progress.
Minister Gillan stressed that cooperation among jurisdictions is essential in addressing many of today's environmental challenges.
"Pollution knows no borders. Weather patterns can carry pollutants hundreds of kilometres. So it is only by working cooperatively that we can achieve our shared goals for a healthy environment and thereby reduce risks to human health," the Minister said.
"We are doing that, not only through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, but also through the Conference of New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers where we have taken significant steps in reducing acid rain and mercury emissions."
Minister Gillan said the Province is taking action at home to meet national and international commitments. For example, he noted, his Department is working with the Island Waste Management Corporation to develop a management strategy for mercury-containing lamps.
Mercury is toxic to the nervous systems of humans and animals. As well, petroleum hydrocarbons from spilled gasoline, oil or coal can pose a risk to drinking water. Dioxins and furans, among the most hazardous compounds to human health, are known carcinogens and have been linked to developmental, respiratory, reproductive and cardiovascular disorders.
Minister Gillan reminded Islanders that individual actions can contribute to a healthier environment. Buying products that are mercury-free when possible and keeping vehicles well tuned are two ways Islanders can help reduce releases of pollutants to the environment.
"We all have a stake in maintaining a healthy environment. I encourage Islanders to consider ways they can help."
BACKGROUNDER ON CANADA-WIDE STANDARDS
Mercury-Containing Lamps
When released to the environment, mercury is converted to methyl mercury – a persistent, toxic contaminant that builds up in the tissue of fish and, in turn, poses health risks to people and wildlife that consume it. Studies show that low levels of mercury can have subtle impacts on the neurobehavioural development and learning ability of children. Higher levels of mercury in children and adults are known to affect the kidneys and nervous system.
An average of 60 million mercury-containing lamps, such as fluorescent lights and streetlights, are sold in Canada each year. Under the new standard, by 2010, the mercury content of lamps will decline by 80 percent from 1990 levels, thereby reducing emissions from manufacturing, landfilling, incineration and lamp breakage. Recycling initiatives will be another means of reducing mercury emissions.
Dioxins and Furans
Dioxins and furans are a family of chemicals formed as a by-product of combustion processes. Among the most hazardous compounds to human health, they persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in the food chain. They are known carcinogins and have been linked to developmental, respiratory, reproductive and cardiovascular disorders.
The Canada-Wide Standard for Dioxins and Furans addresses atmospheric releases from coastal pulp and paper boilers in British Columbia and from waste incineration across Canada. It will lead to a combined emission reduction of at least 80 percent from these two sources by 2006 and represents a significant step toward the ultimate goal of virtual elimination of dioxins and furans.
Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil
Petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) consist of a range of organic compounds found in or derived from geological sources such as oil and coal. They can pose a risk to drinking water, may present a fire/explosion hazard and can create aesthetic problems such as offensive odour.
The Canada-Wide Standard for PHC in Soil is a remediation standard that sets out the levels to which sites contaminated by PHC must be cleaned up when remediation takes place. An Atlantic regional implementation plan is being developed that will enable provinces to comply with the new standard.
Benzene
Classified as carcinogenic to humans, benzene is released through automobile emissions, natural gas dehydrators and residential wood combustion. Phase II of the Canada-Wide Standard for Benzene targets a six kilotonne reduction in national emissions by 2010.
Key actions include follow-through on the benzene in gasoline regulations and voluntary initiatives to reduce emissions from natural gas dehydrators and the steel industry.