The nation's elected councillor, Janelle Nahmabin, shares the urgent need for Indigenous representation in treaty talks to address the health impacts of local chemical emissions on her community.
Desmond Brown reports for CBC.
In short:
- Janelle Nahmabin, Aamjiwnaang First Nation's elected councillor, highlighted the harmful effects of benzene emissions from nearby chemical plants on the Aamjiwnaang community, located by the St. Clair River in Ontario, Canada, south of Lake Huron.
- Aamjiwnaang First Nation is surrounded by industrial sites contributing to significant environmental health concerns.
- Representatives demand direct participation in international negotiations to ensure that their rights and health are prioritized.
Key quote:
"We — like everyone — have the right to a healthy environment and the results of these negotiations should include the duty to prevent exposure to hazardous substances. We have been here before industry and before Canada."
— Janelle Nahmabin, elected councillor, Aamjiwnaang First Nation.
Why this matters:
The manufacturing of plastics often involves the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particulate matter and other hazardous substances like styrene, benzene, and formaldehyde, which are known to have harmful effects on health and the environment. Communities living near plastic production facilities can experience increased health risks, such as respiratory issues and cancer, due to exposure to toxic chemical emissions and contaminated air and water.
Plastic production is on track to triple by 2060, an unsafe level for human health and the environment, according to an international panel of scientists.
