Secrecy is Toxic � You Have a Right to Know
You have a right to know what toxic chemicals are in your community. But our governments allow too many polluters to hide their activities from public:
- Over 40,000 facilities in Toronto don�t have to report annual pollution releases to the public.
- Industrial use, production and storage of chemicals goes on every day in our neighborhoods, but no one has to tell us.
These toxic secrets hurt our communities:
- Toronto�s air is deadly � 1700 Toronto residents die prematurely from smog each year. When you breathe, you risk inhaling at least 9 high-risk carcinogens in Toronto�s air at harmful levels.
- Industrial spills and fires endanger our neighborhoods every year.
- No one is tracking monitoring the long-term health effects of all of this pollution. No one can tell us if we are safe.
A solution is in sight:
The City of Toronto can give the public the right to know what toxic chemicals are used, stored and released in our city. A Community Right to Know Bylaw [1] in Toronto will make our neighbourhoods safer:
- Armed with information, you and your politicians can make real choices about how to reduce your community�s risk from toxic chemicals.
- When industries come under public scrutiny they work harder to clean up their act. They find ways to stop using toxic chemicals, reduce releases, and prevent accidents.
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