Toxics

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Each day both humans and the environment are exposed to a wide range of industrial chemicals. Many of these substances did not exist until recently, and the health and environmental impacts of their widespread use is still being studied by scientists. For other chemicals health and environmental risks are well known.

From its earliest days, West Coast has pressed for strong laws to protect public health and the environment from toxic chemicals. We were instrumental in getting legal protections related to pesticides and toxic waste. We have argued that the public has a constitutionally protected right to an environment safe from toxins.
West Coast’s work does not currently focus on toxins, but some of our recent work on the topic includes:
 

• Advocating for strong laws regulating pesticides and educating the public on their legal options to avoid exposure to pesticides. See our Pesticides page for more information.
• Opposing proposals (in 2002) to weaken BC’s regulation of contaminated sites. Our work included submissions to an advisory panel set up by the BC government to propose amendments to the contaminated sites rules, and analysis of the panel’s recommendations.
• Critiquing the weakening of the province’s pollution laws..
   

West Coast will continue to press for laws that protect the environment and human health from toxins through our Environmental Law Alert program. Our Environmental Legal Aid program also provides support to communities dealing with toxic pollution issues