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PR U.S., CANADA MOVE TO ELIMINATE TOXICS IN GREAT LAKES

Release Date: 04/07/97
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PR U.S., CANADA MOVE TO ELIMINATE TOXICS IN GREAT LAKES

FOR RELEASE: MONDAY, APRIL 7, 1997

U.S., CANADA MOVE TO ELIMINATE TOXICS IN GREAT LAKES

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Carol M. Browner and Canadian Minister of the Environment Sergio Marchi today agreed to a milestone plan to protect public health by virtually eliminating persistent toxic substances from the Great Lakes by the year 2006, as promised by President Clinton and Prime Minister Chretien in February l995. The agreement between the two environmental leaders was signed today at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., and is the first time specific reduction targets for toxic pollutants have been jointly set by both countries.

Browner and Marchi signed two additional agreements to expand efforts to control transboundary air emissions and to cooperate in a number of research and development activities.

The Great Lakes contain 18 percent of the world's fresh surface water. They are home to 33 million people in the U.S. and Canada, nearly half of whom draw their drinking water from the Lakes.

Browner hailed the Great Lakes agreement, saying, "This agreement to virtually eliminate major toxic substances from the Great Lakes is an important step forward in protecting the health of American and Canadian citizens living in the region. Pollution knows no boundaries, and therefore it is vital that our two countries jointly identify the challenges, set common goals and work together to restore the water quality of these magnificent lakes we share."

Canadian Minister Marchi said, "Our citizens breathe the same air, drink the same water, and share many species of wildlife. We also share the same environmental problems. Under the agreements reached today, Canada and the United States will work together to better protect our water, air and wildlife."

The presence of toxic contaminants in the Great Lakes is a significant concern. Despite their great depth and size, the Great Lakes are particularly vulnerable to toxic contaminants because the contaminants remain in the system for many years. Many of these pollutants are a serious threat, even in small amounts, because they are long-lasting and bioaccumlate, becoming more concentrated as they move through the food chain from plants to fish to wildlife and people.

The plan to virtually eliminate identified persistent toxic substances in the Great Lakes, especially those which accumulate and persist in the environment for decades, is based primarily on voluntary pollution prevention activities, but builds on existing Canadian and U.S. regulatory programs.

In the United States, the goals for mercury, PCBs and dioxin are national in scope because these toxics are primarily airborne and even 

sources far outside the basin can reach the Great Lakes through atmospheric long-range transport.

The strategy sets milestones to be achieved from l997 to 2006. Among the U.S. milestones, the strategy calls for a 50 percent reduction of mercury uses nationally; a 90 percent reduction nationally of high-level PCBs used in electrical equipment; a 75 percent reduction in total releases of dioxins and furans from human activity sources, such as incinerators, to apply to aggregate releases to the air nationwide and of releases to the waters of the Great Lakes; and confirmation that there are no releases of five bioaccumulative pesticides: chlordane, aldrin/dieldrin, DDT, mirex and toxaphene.

EPA, Environment Canada, industry, labor, states, provincial, local and tribal governments, environmentalists and affected citizens will implement the strategy and regularly assess progress.

Pollutants enter the Great Lakes from the air, stirred-up bottom sediments, urban and agricultural runoff, hazardous waste sites, spills and industrial and municipal wastewater.

Toxic contaminants are present in the Great Lakes at unacceptably high levels, making some fish unsafe to eat, presenting a continued human health risk and suppressing the economic potential of the fisheries' industry. Today, there are fish consumption advisories in all of the Great Lakes states, based primarily on PCBs, mercury and toxaphene contamination.

Since the Boundary Waters Treaty of l909, the U.S. and Canada have formally cooperated to address water quality problems within the Great Lakes basin. The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement, first signed in l972 and last amended in l987, has served as a management framework for achieving environmental results and for protecting and restoring the ecosystem.

In March l995, the Clinton Administration announced a farreaching plan in partnership with the Great Lakes states to adopt consistent water quality standards in the U.S. across the Great Lakes to help restore the health and the economy of the lakes. Today's action advances that commitment.

Today's two additional signings call for increasing bilateral cooperation on transboundary air pollution and cooperation in environmental research and technology.

The United States and Canada are increasing efforts under a l991 agreement to address air quality issues, notably ground level ozone (smog) and particulate matter (soot). To cope with both pollution problems, the environmental agencies, EPA and Environment Canada, will examine how emission management mechanisms, including innovative pollution control strategies, could be applied to our common boundary. 

A 1985 memorandum of understanding on cooperative research and the sharing of scientific and technical information has been updated to promote and facilitate information exchange of research results and technical data; to provide for joint projects, thus avoiding duplication and associated costs; and to cooperate in the development of innovative ideas and approaches to environmental problems. The environmental agencies will meet in September to initiate the MOU.

R-55 ###