Tracking the Tar Sands Toxic Tour

The Polaris Institute and the Sierra Youth Coalition organized a tri-city toxic tour to track the tar sands oil, visiting communities surrounded by oil refineries in Sarnia, Detriot, and Windsor. According to TarSandsWatch, refineries pose a serious concern for human and ecosystem health causing increases in toxic air emissions, acid rain, and greenhouse gas emissions. The following are some photos of these toxic neighbors:

The Sarnia skyline features dozens of oil refineries

According to the 2006 census, Sarnia has a population of 71,419 making it the largest city located on Lake Huron. It has been involved in the oil industry since 1850 and is home to the second busiest US/Canada border crossing.

Sarnia has been heavily involved in the oil industry since 1850 so their economy is almost completely dependent on the industry.

There are four refineries in Sarnia that use tar sands oil, including Imperial Oil, Shell, Suncor, and Nova Chemicals.

Oil refinery in Sarnia, Ontario.

The Aamjiwnaang First Nation is surrounded with the Imperial, Shell, and Suncor refineries. The community has seen twice as many females born as males, and have reported feminization in turtles in the St. Clair River. Suncor refinery is ranked number one for releasing pollutants that are known or suspected to cause reproductive and developmental toxicants.

Oil refinery in Sarnia, Ontario

An Ecojustice report titled Exposing Canada’s Chemical Valley shows that in 2005, facilities within 25km of Sarnia released more than 131,000 tonnes of air pollution. That much air pollution (consisting of mercury, dioxins and other toxins) equates to a toxic load of more than 1,800 kilograms per Sarnia and Aamjiwnaang resident.

Oil refinery in Sarnia, Ontario.

Between June 2008 and June 2009, employment in the Windsor-Sarnia region decreased by 6%. The number of unemployed rose by 15,400 increasing the unemployment rate up to 12.8% – the highest rate in Ontario’s economic regions.

Oil refinery in Sarnia, Ontario

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., has described Windsor as “the most polluted city in North America,” explaining that “[With] a lot of the industries in Detroit, the air emissions make their way to Windsor. Windsor has high cancer rates, particularly thyroid cancer. Many other respiratory illnesses that are associated with pollution are more prevalent here than elsewhere in Canada as Windsor is downwind from several strong polluters.”

oil refinery in Sarnia, Ontario

The Weather Network has designated Windsor the “Smog Capital of Canada.”

Industrial landscape of Detroit, Michigan.

People living around the Marathon refinery in Detroit, Michigan, “suffer disproportionally in terms of asthmatic rates, their sleep patterns are disrupted, and they have to contend with all the dirt generated by truck traffic in the area.” (Michigan Chronicle)

World Class Cancer Care is Right Down the Street

Many Detroit area residents, despite the economic opportunity, are weary of plans to expand the Marathon oil refinery. Detroit resident Lucille Campbell states: “I have a list of the chemicals that Marathon spews out and what cancers it causes. People are dying. People are sick … we want to have jobs and all these kinds of things, but we need for it to be done right. As far as I’m concerned, Marathon can go someplace else.” 

Industrial landscape of Detroit, Michigan.

Ethanol plant in Chatham, Ontario

Ethanol plant in Chatham, Ontario

Beware of Toxic Neighbors

Check out more photos from the Tracking the Tar Sands Tour, courtesy of Kathleen Black.