TORONTO - Ontario must keep a watchful eye on new chemicals that are turning up in its lakes, rivers and streams and do more to clean up its contaminated waters, a new government report warned today.
The study, which focused on water quality in the environment, said government efforts have helped to reduce pollution in some areas, such as Lake Simcoe, where phosphorus levels have declined.
"Things in some areas are getting better, but we need to do more," said Wolfgang Schneider, a scientist with the Environment Ministry's water monitoring branch.
"If you go and look in the fish guide, there's many fish that you still can't eat. We need to do more work on cleaning up the Great Lakes - two or three areas have been delisted, there are 14 more to go. So we need to do more."
The province must also remain vigilant in monitoring new chemicals used in consumer and building products, such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers or PBDEs, which have been found in "increasing concentrations in the environment," the report noted.
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More Work Needs to be Done to Clean up Ont. Lakes and Rivers
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By Maria Babbage
The Canadian Press, April 20, 2009
Straight to the Source
