For immediate release

November 23th, 2012
Sudbury, ON

RE: Commissioned report (attached) from Ms. Inka Milewski, Senior Advisor and Director of Health Watch Conservation Council of New Brunswick (CV attached), on the high levels of Nickel and Lead in some Sudbury homes, particularly in the four hot spots (Copper Cliff, Coniston, Falconbridge and Sudbury Centre West) identified in the SARA (Sudbury Area Risk Assessment) Group’s Sudbury Soils Study 2008.

The attached report by Ms. Milewski on Sudbury soils uses the evidence gathered by the Sudbury Soils Study, the SARA Group report which was completed in Dec. 2009. The SARA Group’s evidence shows there are high levels of Nickel and Lead in some Sudbury homes and recommends further action be considered, (also attached find SARA Group’s Sudbury Soils Study Final Report’s Recommendations 2008). However, there is little evidence that this is being done.

The Milewski report, endorsed unanimously by our committee, outlines the problem as one that is a threat to the health and lives of Sudburians. The Milewski report makes a number of recommendations for government actions on this matter. For example, the report recommends:

• The Ontario government fund and oversee epidemiological studies of the four "hot spots" to determine if excess cancers and other diseases are occurring.

• The Ontario government set in place enforceable standards based on world experts’ opinions for levels of Nickel, Lead and other heavy metals in homes.

•  The four other recommendations of significant importance on pages 6 and 7 of her report.

     Please find attached:

• Copies of our Committee’s letters to the Minister of Environment and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care. (File: LetOMEOMH_121111.pdf)

•  Copies of our letters to MPP Minister Rick Bartolucci and MPP France Gelinas. (Files: LetRBart_121111.pdf and LetFGelinas_121111.pdf)

• A report by environmental health expert Ms. Inka Milewski, detailing her recommendations (p5-7) to further examine the heavy metal dust data provided by SARA’s Sudbury Soils Study research project. (File: Final Report to Sudbury Community Committee August 2012.pdf)

• Ms. Mileswki’s curriculum vitae (CV). (File: CV 2012 inka mileski.pdf)

• SARA’s Sudbury Soils Study Recommendations of their Final Report 2008. (File: SSS_Vol_II_HHRA_Chapter_8_Conclusions and Recommendations_FinalReport_0211408-9.jpg)

Please contact us for more information and details, as well as our specific objectives, on this matter.