Why is air quality in some areas of Toronto worse than others, and what does that mean for our health? Toronto Public Health's ChemTRAC program can help answer these questions.
ChemTRAC's data shows where, and in what quantities, harmful substances are manufactured, used and released in Toronto.
Until now, this information was not collected by the government, and not available to the public. This data is available because environment, labour and health groups joined together to advocate for toxic reduction and cancer prevention. TEA led a campaign that gathered enough support to pass Canada's first 'Community Right-to-Know' by-law in 2008.
Officially known as the Environmental Reporting & Disclosure by-law, it requires institutional, commercial and industrial sectors that manufacture, use or release certain toxic chemicals to publicly report this information to the City.
Visit www.toronto.ca/chemtrac to search the interactive map of who used or released priority substances where, and in what amounts.
Visit TEA's Toxics in Toronto webpage to learn more about the data, what TEA is doing, and how you can get involved http://torontoenvironment.org/campaigns/toxics/chemTRAC?utm_source=Counc...