Canada’s Aamjiwnaang First Nation has declared a state of emergency due to excessive harmful chemical emissions from INEOS Styrolution’s plastic manufacturing plant, according to the Indigenous group.
The Frankfurt-based company received a compliance order from the provincial environment ministry on April 18 to investigate the cause of the leak at its Ontario factory, which began earlier in April.
The state of emergency will remain in effect until the discharge of benzene reaches acceptable levels, the First Nation announced late Thursday.
On April 20, the company temporarily closed its facility for maintenance, and the Ontario government is collaborating with the First Nation to ensure public safety.
Despite a request from Reuters for comment on its plans to address the chemical leak, the company has not responded.
The Ontario government’s environment department confirmed to Reuters that it is investigating the elevated benzene emissions from INEOS Styrolution’s facilities.
The Aamjiwnaang First Nation community, with approximately 1,000 residents, has been consistently surrounded by industrial installations, leading to ongoing environmental concerns.
Chief Christopher Plain of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation announced in a Facebook post that the declaration of a state of emergency will enable the community to access additional resources to address the situation.
According to Darren Henry, a councillor from the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, over the past two weeks, more than ten individuals have sought medical attention at the hospital, reporting symptoms such as irritated eyes, respiratory issues, and headaches.
The Indigenous group emphasized that the discharges pose significant health risks to the community.
The declaration of emergency coincides with the convening of thousands of delegates in Ottawa this week for the United Nations plastics treaty talks aimed at addressing the escalating issue of plastic pollution.
Janelle Nahmabin, a councilor of the Aamjiwnaang and one of the attendees at the talks, highlighted that the unfortunate incident underscores the importance of ensuring that the treaty addresses not only the usage but also the production of plastics, including the extraction of petroleum.
“I’m hopeful that us being here and being this unfortunate example opens the eyes of the decision makers in the room, as well as all global citizens,” she stated.
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