Beach Triangle Residents Association
Neighbourhood News and Information
The Beach Triangle Residents Association, Toronto, Ontario
Chemical Substances Can Affect Your Health
By David Windrim
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Some chemical substances used or released from business and individual activities can have a harmful effect on our health and our environment.
Toronto Public Health has identified 25 priority substances (view the list at: www.toronto.ca/health/chemtrac/substances.htm) that are in Toronto's environment at levels that are of concern for health. Evidence links these chemicals to short-term health effects like respiratory problems, and longer-term impacts such as cancer.
ChemTRAC was formed to reduce chemicals in our local environment by:
- tracking where these chemicals are being used and released at the neighbourhood level. The Environmental Reporting and Disclosure Bylaw (Municipal Code Chapter 423) (PDF) requires thousands of Toronto businesses to track and publicly report these chemicals to the City each year.
- helping businesses and individuals reduce their use of chemicals. Chemical data and information on ways to go green will be available on this website to help businesses and individuals do their part to reduce the use and release of chemicals.
Beginning in 2012 chemical data about businesses in your neighbourhood will be available on the ChemTRAC website.
With this information, you can:
- get to know the types of businesses in your neighbourhood
- understand the chemicals that businesses use and release, and how they are greening their operations
- work with businesses and neighbours to green your neighbourhood and support local businesses in their greening efforts
- share success stories and learn from others in your community
- take action to reduce toxic exposure at home and in your daily activities
ChemTRAC is the first program of its kind in Canada that will provide local-level information on small and mediumsized businesses in your neighbourhood. Currently you can find information on the chemicals that larger businesses are releasing into our environment:
- National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) at: www.ec.gc.ca/inrp-npri/
- PollutionWatch at: www.pollutionwatch.org/
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