How warm was 2010?
2010 tied with two other years (1998 and 2005) as the warmest years ever recorded, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Arctic sea-ice cover in December 2010 was the lowest ever measured. WMO is the United Nations’ authoritative voice on weather, climate and water.
Continue reading the post titled How warm was 2010?Brownfields: Better information, fewer errors?
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment has updated its Brownfields information webpage, as part of its massive IT overhaul. Meanwhile, the ministry is considering whether to fix some problems with regulation 153/04 (records of site condition and contaminated sites) before major changes come…
Continue reading the post titled Brownfields: Better information, fewer errors?Hanna v. MOE, wind energy in the Divisional Court
Ed Hanna’s attack on the Ontario renewable energy approval system for wind turbines is before the Ontario Divisional Court this week. Richard Blackwell quoted me about it in Monday’s Globe.
Continue reading the post titled Hanna v. MOE, wind energy in the Divisional CourtPCB Cleanup Dispute goes to the CEC
Bennett Environmental has filed a complaint with the Commission on Environmental Cooperation, alleging that Canada, and more specifically the province of Québec, is failing to effectively enforce Québec’s Environment Quality Act (EQA) and the Regulation Respecting the Burial of Contami…
Continue reading the post titled PCB Cleanup Dispute goes to the CECThomas Homer-Dixon
Perhaps because I am a professional pessimist,, I am increasingly persuaded by the apocalyptic visions of Thomas Homer Dixon. After more than 30 years labouring for environmental protection, in the company of many good people, I find it heartbreaking that we have achieved so little. Worse, …
Continue reading the post titled Thomas Homer-DixonEnd of slow death by rubber duck?
In 2009, we blogged about plastics that contain (and release) phthalates, plasticizers used in the manufacture of soft vinyl used in many products (https://www.siskinds.com/slow-death-by-rubber-duck/). New Phthalates Regulations under the Hazardous Products Act (HPA) were registered on Decem…
Continue reading the post titled End of slow death by rubber duck?Risk Management for Mercury?
In 2003, the United Nations Environment Program published a Global Mercury Assessment Report, confirming (if there was any doubt) that mercury is highly toxic, causing significant health and environmental impacts around the world. So why haven’t we done more? I am always sad when I see child…
Continue reading the post titled Risk Management for Mercury?Infrastructure, migration and food
I’ve been meaning to note my agreement with the Economist lead article on learning to live with climate change. As a world population, we had an opportunity to prevent the worst of the impacts of climate change. Since we threw that opportunity away, we must now learn to live with the c…
Continue reading the post titled Infrastructure, migration and foodWho pays for basement flooding?
It will likely be increasingly difficult for home and business owners to find anyone willing to pay for basement flooding. According to the insurers’ Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, “basement flooding is one of the biggest challenges facing homeowners, municipal governments…
Continue reading the post titled Who pays for basement flooding?US toxics overhaul
Most modern toxic substances control laws are based on the 1976 US Toxic Substances Control Act, 15 U.S.C. §2601 et seq. (TSCA). It provides the US Environmental Protection Agency with authority to require reporting, record-keeping and testing requirements, and restrictions relating to cert…
Continue reading the post titled US toxics overhaul