Some doctors refused to treat emission-area residents: report

From:  Edmonton Journal

 By Sheila Pratt, Edmonton Journal January

These tall storage tanks in the Peace River area hold a mix of oil and sand that is heated to separate the two. The bitumen can then be shipped to an...more

 

 

EDMONTON - Some Peace River area doctors are afraid to speak out about health impacts of oil and gas activity and in some cases have declined to treat area residents who wondered if their health problems were related to emissions, says one of two independent health experts hired by the Alberta Energy Regulator.

Doctors fear negative consequences to their careers if they speak out, and in one case, one lab refused to process a test, says Dr. Margaret Sears, an Ontario expert in toxicology and health who will appear this week at a special hearing into complaints about emissions from the Baytex oilsands operation 32 kilometres south of Peace River.

In a rare move, the energy regulator called a special ten-day public hearing, starting in Peace River Tuesday, to examine whether emissions from wells or from bitumen heated in storage tanks could be causing health problems, including dizziness, headaches, cognitive impairment and sleeping problems among residents who left their homes.

To prepare for the hearing, AER hired eight independent expert to provide advice on various issues, including possible health impacts, the chemistry of local bitumen, impact on livestock, and to track various vapour sources on the plant sites.

Baytex also provided studies for the year. The company has consistently stated is complying with all regulation.

Both Ottawa-based Sears and Calgary-based toxicologist Donald Davies of Instrinsik Environment Services interviewed the residents as part of their study on health impacts.  MORE