Guess whose the biggest polluters Canada vs US

[Topaz]

While listening to a Michigan radio program, a person from Toronto was talking about the pollution of the Great Lakes and it turns out that Canada pollutes more than the US does. Toronto, alone puts 9 BILLION gallons of RAW sewage into Lake Ontario every year!! Lake Huron has just as much RAW sewage going into it! I was really surprised by the numbers this guy was putting out there. Why is Ontario letting this happening. Both, the PC's and Libs should have done something about the pollution or we will ended up with

"dead" lakes! Boats also are to blame for the raw sewage going into the lakes. He , also mentioned that people who flush their left-over medication, are also going into the lakes and hurting the fish!

[Leafless]

While listening to a Michigan radio program, a person from Toronto was talking about the pollution of the Great Lakes and it turns out that Canada pollutes more than the US does. Toronto, alone puts 9 BILLION gallons of RAW sewage into Lake Ontario every year!! Lake Huron has just as much RAW sewage going into it! I was really surprised by the numbers this guy was putting out there. Why is Ontario letting this happening. Both, the PC's and Libs should have done something about the pollution or we will ended up with

"dead" lakes! Boats also are to blame for the raw sewage going into the lakes. He , also mentioned that people who flush their left-over medication, are also going into the lakes and hurting the fish!

Toronto is bad but not the worst. Detroit is the worst.

But nevertheless this indicates a lack of federal infrastructure funding.

What I found was: "TORONTO -- The first comprehensive look at the amount of raw sewage flowing into the Great Lakes from cities in Canada and the United States has found that billions of litres are being dumped untreated every year into the sources of drinking water for communities on both sides of the border.

The largest discharges came from big cities such as Detroit, Cleveland and Toronto, where antiquated sewage treatment systems are regularly overwhelmed when it rains and their contents swept untreated into the lakes. But even smaller communities, such as Ontario's London and Kingston, release large quantities of raw sewage."

"Combined sewer outflows into the Great Lakes

The cities are ranked according to their discharges of raw sewage into the Great Lakes. The larger the circle around a city, the greater its discharge volume.

City Annual discharge in millions of litres per annum Percentage of untreated sewage released annually

Detroit *50,000 0%

Cleveland 20,820 0%

Toronto 9,000 0%

Milwaukee 4,110 5.30%

Syracuse 2,645 5.77%

Hamilton 2,109 2.14%

Windsor 1,809 1.49%

Niagara 400 2.27%

Rochester 379 1.70%

Kingston 349 2.68%

Sudbury 317 1.00%

London 300 0.25%

Erie 190 0.95%

Grand Rapids 190 0.99%

Duluth 38 0.40%

Sault Ste. Marie 8 0.35%

Peel 5 0.29%**

Thunder Bay 0 0.07%

Green Bay 0 0.05%

* Estimate ** 0.29 (0.06 raw plus 0.23 partial)

SOURCE: SIERRA LEGAL"

http://www.informationliberation.com/?id=18406

[marcinmoka]

The single biggest polluter in North America is none other than....... Nanticoke, outside of Hamilton.

But this is statistic in itself is deceiving. While it does pump out more CO2 than ANYTHING else on this continent, it's rather reasonable compared to most other coal plants, notably the dinosaurs in the Rust Belt, when compared kWh output to CO2 output. It is the sheer size of the operation which distorts the figures.

[Leafless]

The single biggest polluter in North America is none other than....... Nanticoke, outside of Hamilton.

But this is statistic in itself is deceiving. While it does pump out more CO2 than ANYTHING else on this continent, it's rather reasonable compared to most other coal plants, notably the dinosaurs in the Rust Belt, when compared kWh output to CO2 output. It is the sheer size of the operation which distorts the figures.

I think we are talking about pollution of the Great Lakes and the dumping of raw sewage into them.

What you are talking about Nanticoke is basically owed to years of hydro mismanagement being the root of the problem.

But don't ever think the U.S. doesn't pollute: "As a result, American utilities are burning more coal, and 154 new coal-fired plants are on the drawing board in 42 states. Coal now accounts for about 50 percent of the power generated in the U.S. By the year 2030, that share will increase to 57 percent, according to Energy Department forecasts.[1] "

http://sandersresearch.com/index.php?optio...1231&Itemid=105

[canadoattitude]

im ashamed that we haven't really started doing our part. no one seems to realize the dire necessity of the great lakes for the well being of the entire continent. we need action now!

[AngusThermopyle]

Interesting thread, provocative title.

I've been very disturbed by the quantities of sewage pumped into the lakes for years now. Also keep in mind that it's not just sewage. Obviously something must be done about it and it's very easy to say so, however for something to happen money must be spent. That is the crux of the problem. In my opinion far too many of us want everything,we (as in a collective "we") can desire from a societal aspect. We want funding for special interest group parades, we want funding for religious groups, outreach and in reach and all reaching social programs. We want free medical care for all and everyone, including most of those who can get into the country illegally . so out of the pot what is left after all the so called more important issues and programs are paid for? Not much. Sewers and feces are not sexy to most voters, not much zing to the campaign platform based on crap.

Coal is another big issue in North America. We always hear about airborne pollutants created by coal fired plants but we don't hear much about the methods used to extract the coal. I read a National Geographic article about the modern methods in use now. They are very refined and sophisticated, not good, but very sophisticated. They no longer tunnel for coal in some places. Now instead they are using the new method, that of leveling the mountain. They start from the top and work their way down blasting the mountain apart. The debris and slurry is dumped in the surrounding valleys and lowlands in effect leveling it. Proponents of this method state that it's actually beneficial as golf courses and exclusive vacation resorts can then be built in these areas, rather specious logic in my opinion. So, if we look at both the aspects of airborne pollutants and habitat destruction it becomes apparent that coal is actually a huge problem, on both sides of the border. It is after all the original "black gold".

Since I moved from Southern Ontario to Southern Alberta I've noticed the difference that population makes. From my point of view the environment here appears to be impacted to a far lesser degree by human activity than it is in Ontario. Of course I haven't been up north to the Tar Sands yet so I haven't seen their impact on the environment. I did some research though and found that they are using a water/superheated steam based system that creates less of a damaging effect on the land also less airborne pollutants, thats good, it uses huge amounts of water, thats very bad.

So far it appears that the whole issue is a double edged sword created by the system currently in place. Imperfect solutions and methods ameliorate some aspects of the problem whilst creating new or greater concerns. And all the time money is at the root of it. What do we want to do, spend more money on our every societal whim or invest it in the future of ourselves and our continent? The pot is not bottomless we have to decide what we want more. Myself, I vote for less frivolous government spending and more focus on our home (the planet). I'm a bit pragmatic and as such I firmly believe you don't shit in your own back yard.

One last thing. I don't think this thread is limited to just pollutants in the Great Lakes. Look at the title of the thread, it doesn't specify the lakes or any other specific area/concern.

[B. Max]

Interesting thread, provocative title.

Coal is another big issue in North America. We always hear about airborne pollutants created by coal fired plants but we don't hear much about the methods used to extract the coal. I read a National Geographic article about the modern methods in use now. They are very refined and sophisticated, not good, but very sophisticated.

It depends on the geography of where the coal is. The majority of coal in Alberta is strip mined. If you don't like strip mines then don't bother going to FT Mac. The biggest s strip mining equipment in the world is at work up there.

[geoffrey]

The biggest s strip mining equipment in the world is at work up there.

It's pretty crazy the scale of the development. I was up there on business and got to take a few tours. Absolutely incrediable... in a terrible way.