Statement by Cassie Barker, Senior Program Manager, Toxics
Toronto | Traditional territories of the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabeg, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat – The widespread problem of “forever chemicals” in Canada is alarming and demands urgent federal action. These highly toxic chemicals are linked to serious health harms including cancers, immune system damage, and kidney and liver diseases.
Canada’s new Prime Minister, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Minister of Health need to turn off the tap on PFAS, including quickly eliminating these forever chemicals from consumer products. What’s more, hotspot communities need federal leadership and resources to protect human health, support municipal and household water treatment, and make PFAS producers responsible for the costs of dealing with their mess.
People in Canada deserve, and want, a toxic-free future. This is the time for bold policy that protects human and environmental health from forever chemicals.
Background:
- Today, a new map was released tracking per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) hotspots in Canada, and their proximity to drinking water wells and communities.
- Recent polling shows that nearly 9 in 10 people in Canada support federal action on getting toxic chemicals out of our products (88 per cent), and 86 per cent want to see federal action specifically on PFAS.
- The federal government has drafted an order to list PFAS as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), but does not intend to start consultations on proposed regulations until 2027.
- This month, over 2000 people signed on to a joint submission calling on the federal government to expedite regulations phasing PFAS out of consumer products.
ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE (environmentaldefence.ca): Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with government, industry and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate and healthy communities.
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For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Mira Merchant, Environmental Defence, media@environmentaldefence.ca
