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Social Determinants of Health > Chemical Valley > Flashcards

Flashcards in Chemical Valley Deck (15)
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1
Q

Chemical Valley Facilities

A

-57 facilities within 25km of Sarnia are registered as polluters with Canada and US Govs

2
Q

Aamjiwnaang First Nation

A
  • surrounded by chemical valley on 3 sides
  • proximity would not be allowed due to current zoning laws
  • concerns about pollution (leaks) that are not reported to the public
3
Q

Benzene Acute Health Effects

A
  • narcosis, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, tremor and loss of consciousness
  • eye and skin irritation
4
Q

Benzene Chronic Health Effects

A
  • known carcinogen
  • causes acute myeloid leukaemia
  • may cause acute or chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and multiple myeloma
  • reduce production of white and red blood cells from bone marrow causing aplastic anaemia
  • reduced b-cell proliferation and T-cell proliferation (lowered immune sys)
  • chromosomal abberations
  • reduction in BR, fetotoxic in mice and rabbits
5
Q

Reported Health Effects

A
  • cancer, leukaemia
  • respiratory and cardiovascular illness
  • high rates of learning disabilities
6
Q

Risk of Being Constantly STRESSED

A
  • stress, lack of control and feeling of hopelessness
  • what will happen if a leak occurs?
  • evacuation?
  • people have no power against the big oil companies
7
Q

Body Mapping (coloured-dot pic of human body)

A
  • collects health complaints within a community
  • affixes colour-coded stickers to a human body map to reflect symptoms
  • combines results to identify shared concerns
8
Q

Community Mapping

A
  • participating in research strategy
  • tracked brith ratio data over a 20 year period
  • found decline in male birth rate (86 girls: 46 boys from 1993 to 2003)
9
Q

Bucket Brigades

A
  • community participation in environmental monitoring and regulating
  • sample the air in community (log time and wind direction; document physical sensations and smells)
  • low-cost grab samplers, accessible materials and easy to use
  • sent to testing site in California
  • not recognized by the Ontario Government
  • cost of bucket brigades is supported by reserve
10
Q

Body Mapping Statistics

A
  • 17% of adults and 22% of children have asthma
  • 25% of adults experienced high blood pressure and/or chronic headaches
  • 25% of children suffered from learning and behavioural problems
  • 40% of women had experienced miscarriage or stillbirth
11
Q

Challenges of Community Knowledge Production

A
  • empowering to collect data and take action
  • more knowledge= more power in the fight
  • lived experiences and community led knowledge production are viewed as inadequate or illegitimate (not scientifically proven)
  • not recognized by gov officials as in need of action
  • costs fall on the community
  • need for in-depth health studies (not funded by the industry)
12
Q

Reproductive Health

A

-endocrine disrupting or “gender bending” chemicals in nearby waterways
-e.g. PCBs, cadmium, arsenic and lead detected in Talfourd creek
-intersex fish, feminized amphibians, reproductive abnormalities in wildlife have occurred
-birth rates from 1993-2003= 2 females: 1 male
declining male birth rate from 1993
-40% of women reported miscarriage or stillbirth
-lack of study of the impact on reproductive health

13
Q

Reproductive Justice

A
  • right to have children in a healthy and safe environment
  • reproduction of individuals and communities has been controlled through oppression
  • environmental degradation effects and environmental justice intersect
  • CHEMICAL VALLEY- pollution affects the reproductive health of individuals on Aamjiwnaang reserve and the indigenous’ community’s ability to reproduce
14
Q

Child Health

A
  • effecting the health of a generation of children

- it’s implicated as an issue of reproductive justice

15
Q

Main Points about Chemical Valley

A
  • environmental paradox
  • environmental racism (reproductive justice)
  • lived experience and community demonstrate the need for more research and regulation