Monday, August 30, 2010

Oil sands operations are polluting the Athabasca River system, researchers said Monday, contradicting the Alberta government's assertions that toxins in the watershed are naturally occurring.

Oil sands operations are polluting the Athabasca River system, researchers said Monday, contradicting the Alberta government's assertions that toxins in the watershed are naturally occurring.
 

Photograph by: MARK RALSTON, AFP/Getty Images

EDMONTON — A study released Monday shows that the oilsands industry increases the concentrations of dangerous metals, such as mercury, in locations downstream of development.
National or provincial guidelines for the protection of aquatic life were exceeded for seven of these metals: cadmium, copper, lead, mercury, nickel, silver and zinc — in melted snow and/or water, says the research, published in the prestigious scientific journal called the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The research was led by Erin Kelly and David Schindler, two ecologists at the University of Alberta. Other scientists from Queen's University in Kingston and Alaska also contributed.

Read more: http://www.theprovince.com/business/Oilsands+increase+mercury+downstream+Study/3460317/story.html#ixzz0y7C8fgIZ

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