Toxic Nation | Pollution. It's In You.

A new report released by Environmental Defence warns that although fish have a number of health benefits, fishers should be mindful of the potential toxins that might be found in Great Lakes fish and the risk of eating contaminated species.

On February 20th, at the close of the UN Environment Programme’s annual Governing Council and Global Ministerial Environment Forum, over 140 countries agreed to the creation of the first treaty to control global emissions of mercury, a heavy metal that poses serious risks to human health and the environment. The World Health Organization says there is no safe limit of mercury exposure, and that everyone has some level of mercury in their bodies.

Routine testing by Health Canada has found heavy metals in children’s face paint exceeding proposed government standards. Unfortunately, there are currently no regulations to enforce these limits.

Trying to figure out what toys to buy for your children this holiday? A report issued by the Ecology Center, a Michigan-based Environmental Group, reveals that it might be more difficult than you think.

The group tested over 1,500 toys for traces of dangerous chemicals including lead, cadmium, arsenic, and PVC. Results of their research show that one third of toys tested, many of which can be found in popular chain stores such as Toys R Us and Wal-Mart, contain medium to high levels of toxic chemicals.

According to a study done by Statistics Canada, there has been a significant drop in lead exposure among Canadians in the last 30 years.

The study measured the level of three heavy metals (lead, mercury and cadmium) in the blood of Canadians. Results demonstrate that less than 1% of Canadians have lead levels above the accepted threshold of 10 micrograms per decilitre, compared to 25-30% in 1978-79. The results also show significant declines in mercury and cadmium blood levels over the same time period.

Another headline, another recall.

"High Levels of Lead Found in Toys” or “Hormone Disruptors Leach from Products”.

We all hear about it and we wonder how the most innocent of products, such as bath toys, or jewelry, have come to pose a health risk to our kids. Most of the toys that contain toxic chemicals like lead, arsenic, cadmium, chlorine, and mercury are made in Asia, but we cannot assume that products made in Canada and the U.S. do not contain harmful chemicals.