Three additional chemicals targeted for joint action by CEC

Two pesticides and mercury join PCBs on reduction list

DDT, chlordane and mercury, along with PCBs, have been named by the three NAFTA countries as chemical pollutants targeted for regional phaseout or reduction. In late January, the two insecticides and one heavy metal were added to the list of toxic substances requiring prompt attention, following the agreement last fall by Canada, Mexico and the United States to develop sound management programs for persistent pollutants.

The targeting of DDT, chlordane and mercury follows the adoption last October of Resolution 95-5 by the CEC Council of Ministers. This resolution commits the three governments to the development of regional action plans for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the identification of three other toxic substances and the drafting of regional action-plans to deal with them and the fine-tuning of criteria to identify other persistent pollutants in the NAFTA countries.

This is the first time in North America that the three countries have jointly agreed to target specific pollutants for joint action. While steps have been taken in the three countries to ban or control the use and release of these toxic substances, DDT, chlordane, PCBs and mercury continue to build up in the North American environment. This has implications for the health of wildlife and humans. In particular, areas such as the Arctic and Great Lakes act like sinks for these contaminants as they are carried long distances through the atmosphere. The action plans being developed to manage these chemicals also may serve as models for controlling other toxic materials, such as lead.

In Mexico, DDT and chlordane, two chlorinated pesticides, are still used for specific needs. DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) is used against insects that transmit malaria and dengue fever, and chlordane is used to control termites. While both chemicals, which are highly toxic for wildlife and are considered hazardous to human beings, are banned in Canada and the United States, U.S. companies continue to manufacture chlordane for export to Mexico and other developing countries.

Each of the NAFTA countries has mercury contamination problems, which are especially severe in eastern North America. This very toxic heavy metal bioaccumulates in aquatic and terresterial food chains. Consequently, many states and provinces have issued advisories to alert citizens to the risks of consuming fish from nacec.mercury contaminated water. Mercury, a naturally occurring element, has been used extensively in the manufacture of batteries, street and fluorescent lights, dental amalgams and gold mining. Mercury, released by incinerators and through the burning of fossil fuels, expecially coal, is of greatest concern as it poses a serious threat to human health.