Last update:
2014-04-08

Chemical Valley, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada


Description:

Sarnia is home to more than 60 refineries and chemical plants that produce gasoline, synthetic rubbers, and other materials. 40 percent of Canada's chemical is found in this 25 km radius, which according to a 2011 report by the World Health Organization, has the most polluted air in Canada.

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Basic Data
Name of conflict:Chemical Valley, Sarnia, Ontario, Canada
Country:Canada
State or province:Ontario
Location of conflict:Sarnia
Accuracy of locationHIGH (Local level)
Source of Conflict
Type of conflict. 1st level:Industrial and Utilities conflicts
Type of conflict. 2nd level:Chemical industries
Other industries
Oil and gas refining
Specific commodities:Crude oil
Pesticides
Chemical products
Project Details and Actors
Project details

In 2005, 131 million kilograms of pollutants were released from 46 plants in Sarnias Chemical Valley, the inventory says.

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Project area:Radius of 25 km
Type of populationUrban
Start of the conflict:1947
Company names or state enterprises:Nova Chemicals from Canada
Royal Dutch Shell (Shell) from Netherlands
Suncor Energy Inc (SEPI) from Canada
Cabot
Dow Chemical Company (Dow) from United States of America - ceased operations at its Sarnia site in 2009 and sold the land to TransAlta Energy Corporation (Canada)
TransAlta Energy Corporation from Canada
Lankem from Sri Lanka
Shell Canada Limited from Canada
Ethyl Corporation
Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available:Victims of the Chemical Valley, Aamjiwnaang Environmental Committee, Sarnia against Pipelines, Environmental Defence, Canada, Ecojustice
Conflict & Mobilization
IntensityMEDIUM (street protests, visible mobilization)
Reaction stageMobilization for reparations once impacts have been felt
Groups mobilizing:Indigenous groups or traditional communities
Local ejos
Neighbours/citizens/communities
Women
Ethnically/racially discriminated groups
Local scientists/professionals
Forms of mobilization:Community-based participative research (popular epidemiology studies, etc..)
Creation of alternative reports/knowledge
Lawsuits, court cases, judicial activism
Official complaint letters and petitions
Bucket Brigades, toxic tours, organization of a symposium
Impacts
Environmental ImpactsVisible: Air pollution, Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Noise pollution, Soil contamination, Waste overflow, Oil spills, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality
Other Environmental impactsThe city has the highest level of particulates air pollution of any Canadian city
Health ImpactsVisible: Exposure to unknown or uncertain complex risks (radiation, etc…), Mental problems including stress, depression and suicide, Occupational disease and accidents, Other environmental related diseases
Other Health impactsWhile Sarnia at large suffers from exposure to airborne toxins, with higher rates of hospitalization than the rest of Ontario, the problems are compounded in Aamjiwnaang. The reserve is a sort of industrial sacrifice zone, continuously exposed to pollutants known to cause cancer, cardiovascular, respiratory, developmental and reproductive disorders – Aamjiwnaang has, for instance, a 39% rate of miscarriage and an anomalous birth ratio of two women for every man born (as opposed to national average of approximately 1:1).
Socio-economical ImpactsVisible: Lack of work security, labour absenteeism, firings, unemployment, Social problems (alcoholism, prostitution, etc..), Specific impacts on women, Violations of human rights
Outcome
Project StatusIn operation
Conflict outcome / response:Deaths, Assassinations, Murders
Migration/displacement
Strengthening of participation
Proposal and development of alternatives:Ecojustice (formerly Sierra Legal Defence Fund) filed a formal Application in 2009 with the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario calling on the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) to fill serious gaps in Ontarios pollution laws that currently put the health of Ontario residents at risk in highly polluted areas of the province such as in Sarnia. - See more at: http://www.ecojustice.ca/media-centre/press-releases/chemical-valley-residents-demand-new-law-for-ontarios-pollution-hot-spots#sthash.M2VkoBui.dpuf
Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?:No
Briefly explain:Rather than study the health issues, Canada under Stephen Harper has cut funding for First Nations health issues. Meanwhile emissions seem to be increasing and standards decreasing.
Sources & Materials

Emissions in the sarnia, ontario area

october 2007

an investigation of Cumulative air pollution

I LEFT MY LUNGS IN AAMJIWNAANG
[click to view]

Exposing Canada’s Chemical Valley

an Ecojustice Report
[click to view]

Related media links to videos, campaigns, social network

Sarnia Observer, More than 100 protesters trek 10 kilometres
[click to view]

The Chemical Valley (VICE) Documentary
[click to view]

Meta information
Contributor:Leah Temper
Last update18/08/2019
Conflict ID:386
Comments
Legal notice / Aviso legal
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