Project Title: How Effective are Our Chemical Management Policies in Reducing Lake Ontario Fish Contaminant Burdens?

Synopsis: This project will assess whether the passage of regulations to reduce polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) stocks in Canada by 2009 and ban of penta- and octa-brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) after 2004 and 2006 in US and Canada, and deca-BDE by 2011 in Canada will translate into reductions in Great Lakes concentrations. The aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of regulatory actions aimed at controlling releases of Persistent, Bioaccumulative Toxic substances in relation to Lake Ontario fish concentrations.

Chemicals Studied: PCBs and PBDEs

Geographic Areas: Canada

Project Duration: 2 years

Potential Results and Implications: (i) A publication reporting a coherent set of monitoring data for Lake Ontario [PCBs and PBDEs in air, water, sediment and fish (both near- and off-shore)]; (ii) a framework and a set of models that link chemical inventories in the technosphere to those found in Great Lakes fish; (iii) an inquiry into whether the regulations to control PBDEs in the US (2004) and Canada (2006) and regulations to control PCBs in Canada (2008), have translated into measurable outcomes in Lake Ontario concentrations.

Project Contact:
Miriam Diamond, Ph.D.
University Of Toronto
Dept. of Geography
100 St. George Street
Toronto, Ontario M5S 3G3
Phone: (416) 978-1586
Email: miriam.diamond@utoronto.ca