#GotMercuryStories
Writers: Beze Gray, Joel Piche, and Vanessa Gray from the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Environmental Data Justice Lab at the Technoscience Research Unit, University Of Toronto.
Editors: Layla El-Dakhakhni, Arab/North African Egyptian settler, Environmental Data Justice Lab at the Technoscience Research Unit, University Of Toronto.
Published on: https://www.instagram.com/got.mercury/
In 2010, 700 pounds of mercury were emitted into the air near the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, 25 pounds were released into water bodies, and 93 thousand pounds were disposed of on-site via underground injections or into landfills. The mercury continues to be released into the community.
The problem is not only the ongoing exposure to forever chemicals, it's the lack of community awareness of when, how and where spills and releases come from. Numerous companies are responsible for mercury exposure within the Aamjiwnaang First Nation from companies currently operating in chemical valley and the companies no longer operating including Arlanxeo, NOVA Chemicals, Ontario Power Generation, Laidlaw, Dow Chemical, Clean Harbors, Polysar/Bayer, City of Sarnia - Water Pollution Control Centre, Cabot, Suncor, Shell and Imperial Oil. Facilities that are no longer operational continue to be the source of mercury contamination to not only Aamjiwnaang First Nation community members, but also the Great Lakes, the fish, anyone downstream of the Chemical Valley and anyone who relies on the Great Lakes, meaning this is an international crisis.
Like many Indigenous communities impacted by mercury exposure, there was no implementation of free, prior and informed consent before companies carelessly released high mercury concentrations into the same environment Indigenous people were practicing ceremony on and relying on for our food source. For companies not to give this information - an inherent right to ensure Indigenous peoples’ survival, dignity, and well-being - prior to moving into communities speaks to the ongoing dehumanization and disrespect of the communities who have cared for this land since time immemorial.
The Canadian government has been well aware of these impacts for years, and generations of Aamjiwnaang community members continue to pay the price for the many sources of these forever chemicals. With plenty of evidence of the dangers of mercury exposure, current environmental regulations allow this to happen - it is an intentional policy choice, and the fallout has devastating consequences. Exposure to mercury has been happening in Aamjiwnaang First Nation consistently for generations and the community has felt the impacts of numerous chemicals including mercury. In 2014, a health study has proven that mercury has been found in hair, blood and urine samples in mothers and their children. This intergenerational transfer of the chemical is an insidious lasting impact of the Canadian government’s carelessness for Indigenous life and futures. Testing the community has proven to not be the solution to the mercury contamination problem because the exposure has not ended. Despite knowing mercury is present in hair and blood samples, no steps have been taken by the Canadian government to stop the harm from continuing or remove the mercury from the area.
Aamjiwnaang will forever grieve the loss of a safe environment free from toxins and continue to face the consequences of chemical exposures that these refineries have left behind or continue to pollute. As community members, we will have to worry about the future of fish, the water and future generations. High amounts of mercury found in Talford Creek that flows through the community has signs saying warning people to not touch can cause serious illness. Community members live with mercury in their hair and blood. The feeling of mercury saturating the land, water sediments, fish and the people is a cruel feeling and accountability needs to be addressed for companies here today and the ones who left it behind.
Here is a study on mercury levels found at Aamjiwnaang:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5164849/
