HEALTH AND TAILINGS PONDS THE TARSANDS ARE A HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

The document highlights the severe health and environmental risks associated with the 300 square kilometers of tailings ponds in northern Alberta, noting unusually high cancer rates in Fort Chipewyan and the presence of toxic chemicals like arsenic and benzene. It criticizes the industry for underestimating air pollution and failing to report spills, while calling for an Indigenous-led health study and a moratorium on tailings pond growth.

• Tailings ponds in northern Alberta cover an estimated 300 square kilometers as of 2020, containing 1.4 trillion litres of tailings. The estimated cleanup cost is $260 billion, but companies have set aside less than 3% of the required funds.
• Toxic chemicals found in tailings at rates exceeding federal and provincial guidelines include arsenic, benzene, lead, mercury, and air pollution, as well as carcinogenic Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Naphthenic Acids.
• Fort Chipewyan has experienced unusually high cancer rates; government studies from 1995-2006 found rates 30% higher than expected, and a 2014 study linked higher cancer rates to the consumption of traditionally caught foods like fish and meat.
• The industry is accused of significant transparency failures, including underestimating air pollution by 64 times the actual amount and failing to report a 5.3 million litre tailings spill at Imperial Oil’s Kearl Mine to Indigenous communities for at least 9 months.

APA

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (n.d.). HEALTH AND TAILINGS PONDS THE TARSANDS ARE A HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/HAY-Poster-Toxic-Tarsands-Tailings.pdf#new_tab

Chicago

Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. HEALTH AND TAILINGS PONDS THE TARSANDS ARE A HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. n.d. https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/HAY-Poster-Toxic-Tarsands-Tailings.pdf#new_tab.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |title=HEALTH AND TAILINGS PONDS THE TARSANDS ARE A HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CRISIS |url=https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/HAY-Poster-Toxic-Tarsands-Tailings.pdf#new_tab |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{canadianassociationofphysiciansfortheenvironmentndhealth, author = {{Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}}, title = {{HEALTH AND TAILINGS PONDS THE TARSANDS ARE A HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH CRISIS}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, url = {https://cape.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/HAY-Poster-Toxic-Tarsands-Tailings.pdf#new_tab}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }