THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN RESIDENTS OF TOXIC NEIGHBOURHOODS VERSUS DOWNSTREAM RESIDENTS OF THE CANAGAGIGUE CREEK

 First of all is location. Most people move a number of times in their lives whether for work, retirement, to get closer to their kids (or further away) etc. This is quite normal also as neighbourhoods "mature" from young families to older folks over the decades. Now take a look at the 22 Old Order Mennonite families living and farming downstream from Uniroyal Chemical (Lanxess Canada). These are generational family farms. Exactly how many residents of urban neighbourhoods have their children or grandchildren also living as adults in the same home as their parents? Very, very few. Therefore the exposure times for the downstream residents can easily be from in the womb until into the ground.

The generational aspect also permits bioaccumulative  Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) to negatively affect the development of babies in the womb. Hence the exposure of the mother may well be passed onto the fetus especially when we are talking DDT, dioxins/furans/PCBs/PAH, mercury etc . These health effects can range from minor to fatal.

Living and working on the farm full time can also increase exposure compared to a dual working parents being away from the house eight to eleven hours a day. There are a multitude of exposure paths including drinking water, children playing in the Creek, livestock wading in and drinking from the Creek, and soils, sands being used as either garden amendments or for use in children's sandboxes. There are also constant air emissions with Uniroyal/Lanxess toxic air emissions primarily being blown eastwards from the chemical plant towards the downstream neighbours. 

Lastly as the Creek flows through these farms either children or adults can fish in the Creek. Only for the last five years or so have their been warning signs posted along the Creek advising fishermen not to EAT their catch. Even those signs were posted against the vehement wishes of the totally corrupt Ontario Ministry of Environment. These fish are indeed contaminated well above the Ontario fish tissue residue guidelines. See the previous sentence about the "totally corrupt" MECP.