Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Saturday, November 29, 2014

Oilsands tailings ponds emit pollutants into the air, study confirms

EDMONTON – New government research is confirming that the oilsands tailings ponds are releasing toxic chemicals into the air.

In addition, the amount of the contaminants from the ponds could be almost five times as high as previous estimates for entire oilsands operations.

The paper estimates that more than a tonne of cancer-causing chemicals called PAHs are released into the region’s air every year from the ponds.

Author Elisabeth Galarneau says it’s not clear where those toxins go once in the air, so she can’t say what the environmental impact might be. Previous research used mathematical modelling to conclude the vast ponds were releasing chemicals, but Galarneau’s work involved actual measurements in the field.

READ MORE: Alberta researcher offers unique perspective on tailings ponds 

The research, to be published next month in a scientific journal, was conducted by Environment Canada under the federal and provincial government’s joint oilsands monitoring program.

Original Article
Source: globalnews.ca/
Author: By Staff  The Canadian Press

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