Toxins found in Canadians’ blood, urine

OTTAWA— The average Canadian has more than hockey in his blood; there are also flame retardants, stain removers, heavy metals, PCBs and volatile organic compounds, an environmental group says.

Blood and urine tests of 11 volunteers from Saltspring Island, B.C., to St. John’s, Nfld., by a Quebec public health institute and a Texas laboratory, found scores of toxic chemicals suspected of causing everything from cancer to learning disabilities, Toronto-based Environmental Defence reports. On average, each volunteer showed blood contamination by more than 40 compounds, and urine contamination by a number of pesticides.

Environmental Defence says this is the first nationwide study of blood and urine contamination in Canada, although similar results have been obtained in the United States and Britain. Though the sample size is small, the results reflect a national problem, said Sarah Winterton, program director with Environmental Defence, who had her blood tested for the study. The 11 volunteers were from different parts of the country, different types of communities, different ethnic backgrounds, professions and ages. “ It’s not like we all had dinner together and had blood poisoning the next day. . . ( all 11) live in Canada. It’s a glimpse of what everybody has in them.”

Volunteers included B. C. wildlife artist Robert Bateman, St. John’s filmmaker Mary Sexton, and Chief David Masty, of Whapmagoostui First Nation in northern Quebec.