In Brief July 2000 Ministry of the Environment programs and initiatives Lake Superior: environmental progress The government of Ontario is collaborat­ effort to protect Lake Superior. Other reme­ ing with other governments and with dial action plans developed by the collabo­ private sector and various interest groups to rating governments and targeting specific preserve environmental quality in Lake areas of concern in the lake are moving for­ Superior, the world’s largest freshwater lake. ward. The environmental Studies show that the work is getting results. The private sector is also contributing to quality of the world’s In Lake Superior, as in the other Great the efforts to clean up and protect the lake. largest freshwater Lakes, Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment The pulp and paper industry, for example, lake is being protect­ (MOE), working together with partner gov­ has already spent millions of dollars to elimi­ ed through collabora­ ernments, municipalities, industries and nate discharges of dioxins and furans from tion between govern­ interest groups, is executing a long-term pulp mills in the Lake Superior basin. ments and the pri­ international lakewide management plan Ontario is committed to supporting vate sector in a long­ (LaMP) to reduce pollution and preserve reduction efforts that are within its jurisdic­ environmental quality. MOE’s partners in tion within the Lake Superior basin and has term, international this work are Environment Canada, the U.S. made 26 commitments to that end in the lakewide manage­ Environmental Protection Agency, state gov­ LaMP document. The challenge of the ment plan as well as ernments, First Nations and other interest future for the federal governments (US- individual remedial groups. Canada) is, how to deal with the pollutants action plans. As the first LaMP to get started, the Lake that enter the lake from beyond the basin. Superior plan has completed the stage 3 They arrive by long range transport within document which outlines the strategies and the atmosphere. The long range movement activities that will be undertaken by the part­ of pollutants from national and international ners in order to meet the interim targets for sources remains the most significant chal­ critical pollution reduction for the next five lenge to the protection of the long term years. health of the lake. One goal is not just to reduce but to elim­ Current projects inate completely by the year 2020 the dis­ charge into the lake of nine critical contami­ ● The ministry is continuing to work actively nants from sources within the Lake Superior with 7 pulp mills on the lake to promote basin ecosystem. These are dioxins, mercury, the use of environmentally friendly prod­ hexachlorbenzene (HCB) octachlorostyrene ucts and processes which will result in (OCS), PCBs and highly persistent insecti­ reductions of discharges of critical pollu­ cides. tants. Government, municipal and private sector ● In Thunder Bay harbour, MOE is collabo­ pollution control efforts have already pro­ rating with industry and the federal gov­ duced solid gains, including achievement of ernment in a $9-million cleanup of the LaMP interim targets for 2000 for reduc­ lakebed sediment that has been contami­ tion of the most critical contaminants. But nated by wood preservatives. action under LaMP is only part of the total Ministry of the Environment 1 In Brief ● In the same area, MOE is collaborating Note: with the City of Thunder Bay and other Further information is available in partners in a remedial action plan to pro­ Environment Canada’s Third Report of mote environmentally friendly techniques Progress Under the Canada-Ontario Agreement for shoreline development that protect Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem and improve fish and wildlife habitat. 1997-1999 at the Web site http://www.cciw.ca/green-lane/coa/third­ Mercury progress-report/intro.html ● Because of its use in electronic and other devices, its long survival in the environ­ Comments concerning this report and the ment and its tendency to build up in the Lake Superior LaMP program may be for­ food chain and cause health impairment, warded to the: Regional Office, Ministry of mercury has a high place in environmental the Envrionment, 435 S. James St., Suite protection and cleanup programs. 331, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7E 6S7, Attention: Eric Janhunen. ● Cooperative projects are going forward in collaboration with municipalities and For more information: interest groups in Thunder Bay, Sault Ste. Ministry of the Environment Marie and Marathon to reduce the Public Information Centre amount of mercury entering the lake. (416) 325-4000 or Collection depots have been established toll-free 1-800-565-4923 for discarded button-type batteries and Internet: http://www.ene.gov.on.ca these will be diverted from domestic waste disposal sites and properly disposed at hazardous waste handling facilities. ● MOE will continue to develop partnerships to address the proper disposal of other mercury bearing products such as fluores­ cent lights and household thermostats Ministry of the Environment PIBS: 3987E 07 - 2000 2 © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2000