- Mercury levels (total mercury in sediments) are as much as 98% higher in parts of the Athabasca delta over the historical medians.
- Dissolved arsenic levels have jumped as much as 466%.
- Sediment arsenic levels have increased as much as 114%.
- Alkylated PAH levels in sediments have risen as much as 72% above the historical means in some areas.
"With a tone of exasperation that so many years have passed without action, the federal Parliament’s Standing Committee on Natural Resources has called on all government agencies to “step up research in order to: determine the true impact of oil sands activity on the Athabasca River ecosystem, as well as on Aboriginal fisheries in the Peace and Athabasca river delta.”34
"In 2005 and 2007, an independent and prize-winning air pollution specialist studied the area and found that existing levels of pollution already rival the most polluted cities in China.57 This included elevated levels of benzene near the Shell complex that should be of concern to employees there. The results disputed the conclusions from industry air monitoring for the area."
Source: TarSands_TheReport final.pdf 963.2 KB
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