Toronto Environmental Alliance

January 24, 2008
CBC News

Toronto is considering a new environmental proposal that would require companies to report their usage of certain toxic chemicals.

Lina Cino of the Toronto Environmental Alliance, which has been pushing for the change, says residents have a right to know how companies are dealing with toxic waste.

Large industrial companies are required to report their toxic emissions to the federal government, but there are no regulations for small- and medium-sized operations.

"We don't know if there's a big problem or not because we don't have that kind of information," she said.

Allan Jordan, general manager of CJ Graphics in Toronto, supports the idea.

He has a modern recycling station outside his building that collects and reuses old cleaning solvents, drastically reducing the amount of toxic chemicals used at his facility.

Jordan says customers are demanding these kinds of changes.

"In the last year, to date we've had 46 customers demand to know what we do and how we do it, which is good for us and good for business."

If the city approves the new proposal, even small corner stores would have to report their use of certain chemicals.

City staff members are gathering public input and could send the plan to council as early as this spring.