Dear Editor:
The B.C. government announced recently that there would be a restriction on new transportation of diluted bitumen until the behaviour of spilled bitumen can be better understood and there is certainty regarding the ability to adequately mitigate spills. Diluted bitumen includes vaporized hydrocarbons, e.g., carcinogens such as benzene and 1, 3-butadiene. These hydrocarbons would affect first responders, residents living in large areas near the harbor, and cleanup workers.
Our government is right in ensuring that spill consequences and cleanup be well understood and there are techniques available for mitigation. But another issue requires just as much investigation, and that is the issue of the consequences of a bitumen spill on human health. There has never been a comprehensive health impact assessment of the consequences on humans of a bitumen spill in Vancouver’s harbour. The modelling of a bitumen spill in the harbour has not been done by Trans Mountain and the data needed to adequately assess the human health impact is not available.
The B.C. government has an obligation and right to ensure that the health of its citizens is ensured. A comprehensive impact assessment of a bitumen spill on human health must be done.
Janice Edmonds
North Vancouver
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