Assessment of the Effects of Endocrine Disrupting Substances in the Canadian Environment

2001 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-302 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly R. Munkittrick
Keyword(s):  
Endocrine Disruptors ◽  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Endocrine System ◽  
Pulp Mill ◽  
Agricultural Chemicals ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
Pulp Mill Effluents ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada

Abstract Endocrine disruptors are a complex issue that continues to evolve. From a government perspective, the issue of endocrine disruptors is complicated by the inclusion of several related issues, making it difficult to deal with in an effective manner. The sub-issues probably need to be dealt with through different regulatory mechanisms. The endocrine disruptor issues can be divided into three main categories: a) issues associated with subtle responses to compounds that are persistent, lipophilic and capable of biomagnification; b) issues associated primarily with non-persistent and relatively hydrophilic substances in industrial and municipal effluents; and c) issues associated with screening existing and new chemicals for their capability of interacting with the endocrine system in an adverse manner. This paper discusses options for dealing with chemicals found in complex mixtures such as pulp mill effluents, sewage effluents and in-use agricultural chemicals. When studies documented potential concerns about the potential for pulp mill effluents to cause reproductive and endocrine changes in fish, the Government of Canada developed an Environmental Effects Monitoring program as part of the new regulatory package. The EEM program is designed to provide information on whether effects are present in the environment when industry complies with their regulated discharge requirements. Endocrine disruptors have the potential to cause environmental effects with other regulated effluents, and an EEM-type of approach would be capable of identifying situations where effects are present and need to be dealt with.

Sublethal Toxicity Findings by the Pulp and Paper Industry for Cycles 1 and 2 of the Environmental Effects Monitoring Program

2002 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard P. Scroggins ◽  
Jennifer A. Miller ◽  
Anne I. Borgmann ◽  
John B. Sprague
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Paper Industry ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Pulp Mill ◽  
Toxicity Tests ◽  
Secondary Treatment ◽  
Sublethal Toxicity ◽  
Biological Surveys ◽  
Pulp Mill Effluents ◽  
Environmental Effects Monitoring

Abstract Sublethal toxicity tests successfully measured the improved quality of pulp mill effluents from the first cycle of environmental effects monitoring (1992–1996) to the second cycle (1997–2000). Test endpoints showed notable shifts to higher concentrations (less toxic). During the second cycle of monitoring, significantly more tests showed no effect in full-strength effluent. Five case studies were considered as part of this exercise. Most of the improvement came with installation of secondary treatment. Twelve Ontario mills with secondary treatment showed reduced toxicity, compared to results with primary treatment. All 29 sets of sublethal data showed higher IC25s during the second cycle, and 23 of these differences were statistically significant. Any other changes between the two cycles of study caused only marginal overall improvement in toxicity, judging by 12 freshwater mills in British Columbia which had secondary treatment during both cycles. Sublethal tests successfully predicted the zone of potential effect in receiving water, agreeing with effects observed in biological surveys. Overlapping zones from multiple discharges could also be demonstrated. In a situation near Niagara Falls, sublethal tests estimated the proportions of toxic loading that four mills contributed to one water body. The prediction was realistic; the actual toxicity found for a mixed effluent was 57% of that predicted from separate toxicities. The conservative prediction agrees with the usual less-than-additive sublethal action of combined toxicants.

Right-of-Way and Pipeline Monitoring in Permafrost: The Norman Wells Pipeline Experience

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rick M. Doblanko ◽  
James M. Oswell ◽  
Alan J. Hanna
Keyword(s):  
Northwest Territories ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Surveillance Program ◽  
Joint Research ◽  
Ambient Temperatures ◽  
Oil Pipeline ◽  
Right Of Way ◽  
Discontinuous Permafrost ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Of Canada

Enbridge Pipelines (NW) Inc. (Enbridge) owns and operates a 323.9 mm outside diameter crude oil pipeline from Norman Wells, Northwest Territories, Canada to Zama, Alberta, Canada (Norman Wells Pipeline). The first of its kind in North America, this pipeline, completely buried in discontinuous permafrost, is approximately 869 kilometres in length. The pipeline, designed to operate at ambient temperatures, was constructed during the winter seasons of 1983–1984 and 1984–1985 and began operations in April 1985. Enbridge (formerly Interprovincial Pipe Line (NW) Ltd.), under various regulatory terms and conditions, is required to monitor and report the effects of pipeline construction and operations associated with the environment and right-of-way. The company has been an active participant in joint research and monitoring working groups consisting of various departments of the Government of Canada, Government of Northwest Territories, and other agencies. Over the past seventeen years, Enbridge has developed a monitoring and surveillance program that ensures the safe operation of the pipeline and protection of the environment. Any significant issues arising from the monitoring program result in mitigative actions based on engineering assessments. Furthermore, Enbridge is mandated to inform the appropriate agencies of issues resulting from the monitoring program. This paper will focus on the terrain and geotechnical monitoring programs initiated by Enbridge over its years of operation of this pipeline and will discuss topics including operations and maintenance activities key to pipelines installed in discontinuous permafrost, condition of the pipeline, and the on-going terrain and slope monitoring program.

Endocrine-Modulating Substances in the Environment: The Wildlife Connection

1998 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 159-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith R. Solomon
Keyword(s):  
Biological Effects ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Endocrine System ◽  
Pulp Mill ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Bald Eagles ◽  
Herring Gulls ◽  
Pulp Mill Effluents ◽  
1960S And 1970S ◽  
The 1960S

Historical observations, first publicized in Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, demonstrated biological effects of persistent, bioaccumulative pollutants on wildlife. These effects included disruption of reproduction and, in some situations, responses mediated through the endocrine system. The substances that caused these effects were mainly highly chlorinated halocarbon compounds, such as DDT (and metabolites), other organochlorine pesticides, polychlori-nated biphenyls, poly chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, and poly chlorinated dibenzofurans. In contrast, responses of fish to industrial discharges and pulp mill effluents have implicated more water-soluble compounds. Characterizations of wildlife exposures require consideration of temporal and spatial factors that they exacerbate or ameliorate responses. Likewise, effects of endocrine-modulating substances m ay appear at subsequent stages of development, not at the time of exposure. Consistent with the declines in environmental concentrations of persistent, bioaccumulative substances, populations of several wild bird species, including bald eagles, cormorants, herring gulls, and Caspian terns, have increased, recovering from declines noted in previously polluted areas during the 1960s and 1970s.

Artificial Streams for Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM): Development and Application in Canada over the Past Decade

2002 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 155-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique G. Dubé ◽  
Joseph M. Culp ◽  
Kevin J. Cash ◽  
Nancy E. Glozier ◽  
Deborah L. MacLatchy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Effects ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Pulp Mill ◽  
Benthic Invertebrate ◽  
Artificial Streams ◽  
The Past ◽  
Artificial Stream ◽  
Pulp Mill Effluents ◽  
Environmental Effects Monitoring ◽  
Stream Systems

Abstract Development of artificial stream systems has been an on-going research effort in Canada over the past decade. At the National Water Research Institute (NWRI) of Environment Canada, artificial stream systems have been developed to assess the effects of point source effluents on aquatic biota. Initial applications (1990–1994) focused on assessing the effects of pulp mill effluents on benthic invertebrate and algae communities in large western Canadian rivers. Artificial streams were then used to assess the effects of pulp mill effluents on fish in marine and estuarine environments in eastern Canada (1997–1999). Most recently (2000–2001) artificial stream systems have been developed as tools to evaluate the effects of mining effluents on fish and benthic invertebrates. In addition, multi-trophic level (algae + benthic invertebrate + fish) applications have been developed for cumulative effects bioassessment. Based upon this culmination of research and development, artificial stream systems have been incorporated into the federally legislated Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) program as an alternative to field surveys for assessment of pulp and paper and mining pollution. The Canadian experience in development of artificial stream systems should serve as a model to demonstrate how research tools can be incorporated into federally legislated monitoring programs.

Monitoring of the Environmental Effects of Pulp Mill Discharges in Chilean Rivers: Lessons Learned and Challenges

2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gustavo Chiang ◽  
Kelly R. Munkittrick ◽  
Rodrigo Orrego ◽  
Ricardo Barra
Keyword(s):  
Fish Species ◽  
Small Body ◽  
Monitoring Program ◽  
Pulp Mill ◽  
Global Market ◽  
Biological Data ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Species Selection ◽  
Biological Organization ◽  
Pulp Mill Effluents

Abstract Environmental monitoring activities in Chile are relatively new and have traditionally relied on physicochemical measurements. The pulp mill industry in Chile is highly competitive in the global market and several new large mills have recently opened. Early studies on fish in the receiving environments revealed lower species richness and an increase in the abundance of introduced species relative to native ones near pulp mill discharges. Even though changes were observed, their relationship with the discharges was unclear. Several difficulties related to small body sizes and the unavailability of basic biological data for native Chilean fish species were found during initial field studies. One of the main challenges is the standardization of monitoring methods (including fish species selection, sampling sizes, indicators, reference sites, etc.) and consensus about the responses that should be considered in a river monitoring program in the Chilean context. This paper summarizes major findings from a series of studies looking at impacts on fish at different levels of biological organization and the current approach used in Chile for monitoring impacts of pulp mill effluents on wild fish populations.

E-Government : an exploratory study of online government procurement

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Maniam Kaliannan
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Government Procurement ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Government Service ◽  
The Public ◽  
Organizational Perspective ◽  
Effective Manner ◽  
The Government ◽  
Government Level

The quest to improve the government service delivery is becoming an important agenda for most governments. The introduction oflCT in the public sector especially E-Government initiatives opens up a new chapter in the government administration throughout the world. Governments have deployed ICT to serve their citizens in an efficient and effective manner. This paper presents an empirical investigation of Malaysian government's e-Procurement initiative (locally known as e-Perolehan). The aim of the paper is to examine factors that influence the current and future use of the system within the supplier community. These factors are grouped in three perspectives, (i) organizational perspective; (ii) technological perspective; and (Hi) environmental perspective. The general consensus amongst both the buyer and seller communities is that e-procurement will become an important management tool to enhance the performance of supply chain especially in the public sector. However, before this occurs, the findings suggest that several issues must be addressed by the relevant authorities in light of the three perspectives as mentioned above, to improve the procurement process at the federal government level.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document