[All] Cancer study in Ontario: Aamjiwnaang and Benzene

[Lanteigne]

Hi everyone
Today a new study links Cancer to Ontario communities. In the lead: Sarnia by Aamjiwnaang
https://www.nationalobserver.com/2019/05/28/news/new-study-says-there-are-strikingly-high-rates-cancer-some-ontario-industrial-cities


Background look: 
I've been involved with the issue on Benzene for may years raising the concern at the National Energy Board during the London hearings. 
At the first Line 9 hearing in London Ontario I asked Enbridge to do test in area wells for benzene which is an indicator for oil spills. In the response letter they stated: 
A leak from a pipeline of Benzene alone is highly unlikely as it is just one of many hydrocarbon constitutions that make up crude oil. If a leak were to occur, Enbridge would immediately implement it's emergency response measures in order to minimize impacts to human health and the environment. 

In the PDF of the National Energy Board minutes of the Line 9 B hearing in Line 3877, from the City of Toronto, they admit "An oil spill that enters a water treatment plant is a threat primarily because the benzene in the material is not removed by the treatment process used at municipal plants."
On Line 3491 states that benzene and toluene are carcinogenic and that diluted bitumen and drag reducing agents contain benzene, polycyclic hydrocarbons and n-hexane.

Here is the PDF file link: file:///C:/Users/water/Downloads/A3Q0R2%20-%2013-10-16%20-%20Volume%205.pdf

Benzene has a safety limit of 0.1 ppb for occupational workers but this report states there is 1.0 to 1.8 ppb in diluent used by Enbridge.
http://www.hngnews.com/lake_mills_leader/news/local/article_f57f4542-5354-11e6-ab42-b3ba1a14f74d.html?mode=jqm

Jan 11/2013 Shell sour water leak of mercaptan, hydrogen sulfide & benzene via flare system. It took 1 hour to notify residents of Aamjiwnnang. There have been repeated leaks of benzene that have happened and this article below notes how they found this chemical in the standing water of area ditches. https://ca.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idCABRE97C10O20130813

Even after the court process secured a promise from Ontario to review the situation the issues kept repeating.  Nearly once a week on average, the Aamjiwnaang First Nation receives and then warns the community about a leak or a spill. Warnings of increased odours come at the same rate. Noise alerts are weekly on average and warnings about large flames shooting out of the plant stacks happen on average twice a week.https://globalnews.ca/news/4659040/toxic-emissions-spilling-into-sarnia-year-after-ontario-promised-change/


Lulu 
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