Page - September 7, 2007
The main health concerns related to the tar sands are associated with air and water pollution. In addition to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, tar sands operations also emit other substances into the atmosphere, most notably nitrogen oxide, sulphur oxide, particulate matter and volatile organic compounds.
Tar sands operations produce a wealth of toxic by-products, which must be stored or released into the air or water.
Breathing in nitrogen oxide and sulphur oxide often leads to
respiratory problems, and particulate matter has been linked to
diseases such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and various forms of
heart disease. Volatile organic compounds can cause even more
serious problems, from cancer to brain damage.
The presence of toxic chemicals or heavy metals in lakes and
rivers affects drinking water, as well as the health of animals and
fish that drink from the water, or live in it. When human beings
eat the animals or fish they are also eating the chemicals consumed
by the animal. There have been reports of mutations in animals and
fish in ecosystems downstream from tar sands projects, and people
who live in the area are very concerned that increased health
problems may be linked to contaminated food and water sources.