Report on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Contamination and Sustainable Development Goals in Canada

Introduction: A National Challenge to Sustainable Development

An investigation reveals widespread contamination of drinking water sources across Canada by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), posing a significant challenge to the nation’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These toxic “forever chemicals,” primarily originating from firefighting foams used at federal sites such as airports and military bases, have infiltrated groundwater in numerous communities. This report details the extent of the contamination, the institutional response, and the profound implications for SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Impact on Water Security and Public Health (SDG 6 & SDG 3)

Failure to Ensure SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

Access to safe drinking water, a cornerstone of SDG 6, has been compromised in several Canadian communities. The federal government has identified 87 of its sites where PFAS compounds have contaminated groundwater. In Torbay, N.L., near St. John’s International Airport, residential well water tested at 140.9 nanograms per litre (ng/L) of PFAS, more than four times the 30 ng/L safety guideline established by Health Canada.

• At least 11 communities are now dependent on bottled water supplied by the federal government due to contaminated taps.
• Affected locations include Torbay, N.L.; Yarmouth, N.S.; Abbotsford, B.C.; Mountain View, Ont.; North Bay, Ont.; and Mississippi Mills, Ont.
• In La Baie, Que., PFAS levels sourced to a nearby air force base were discovered as high as 197 ng/L.
• In North Bay, Ont., tests showed PFAS levels as high as 400 ng/L leaching from Jack Garland Airport into local well water.

Threats to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The presence of PFAS in drinking water presents a direct threat to public health, undermining the objectives of SDG 3. These chemicals are linked to severe health conditions, and the prolonged, often unknowing, exposure has left residents in a state of uncertainty regarding their long-term health outcomes.

• Documented health risks associated with PFAS exposure include cancer, developmental delays, and immune disorders.
• Residents in affected areas express significant stress and anxiety over potential health effects for their families, particularly children who have consumed the contaminated water for years.
• The lack of definitive information from authorities exacerbates the mental and emotional burden on community members.

Institutional Accountability and Justice (SDG 16)

Challenges to SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

The response to the contamination crisis has highlighted significant gaps in institutional transparency and accountability, key tenets of SDG 16. Residents report a lack of proactive communication and a haphazard approach to testing, while court documents reveal that government bodies were aware of contamination for years before informing the public.

• In Mississippi Mills, the National Research Council (NRC) was aware of PFAS permeating local groundwater for two years before notifying residents.
• Residents in Torbay learned of the contamination through neighbours rather than official channels, prompting them to request testing.
• The federal government has been inconsistent in disclosing information, with different departments taking varied approaches to releasing data on affected locations.

Legal Recourse for Affected Communities

In response to institutional inaction, residents are turning to the legal system to seek justice and compensation, exercising their right to remedy under SDG 16. Class-action lawsuits have been filed in multiple regions, seeking compensation for diminished property values, health risks, and the costs of remediation.

1. A proposed class-action lawsuit has been initiated for residents in Torbay and Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove, N.L.
2. A lawsuit filed in 2016 on behalf of Mississippi Mills residents seeks $40 million for clean-up and lost property values.
3. The B.C. government has filed a national class-action lawsuit against PFAS manufacturers to recover the costs of removing the chemicals from tap water.

Environmental Management and Sustainable Communities (SDG 12 & SDG 11)

Legacy of SDG 12: Irresponsible Production and Consumption

The current crisis is a direct result of historical failures in achieving SDG 12, which calls for the sound management of chemicals. For decades, PFAS-based products like firefighting foam were produced and used without adequate consideration for their environmental persistence and toxicity, despite internal manufacturer knowledge of their potential harm dating back to the 1970s.

Barriers to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

The contamination undermines the safety and resilience of affected communities, a central goal of SDG 11. Remediating PFAS is a complex and costly process, requiring significant investment in public infrastructure to restore safe water supplies.

• Remediation technologies include activated carbon, reverse osmosis, and ion exchange filters, all of which are expensive to implement and maintain.
• The Department of National Defence has committed nearly $20 million to remediate the airport plume in North Bay.
• The federal government pledged $15.5 million for temporary filtration units in La Baie.
• In Torbay, a new water supply system is required, with an estimated cost of over $35 million, but the project faces a $9-million funding shortfall.

Conclusion: An Urgent Need for Integrated Action

The PFAS contamination across Canada represents a multi-faceted failure to uphold commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals. Addressing this challenge requires an integrated approach that prioritizes public health and environmental justice. Long-term solutions must include the establishment of legally binding and enforceable national standards for PFAS in drinking water (SDG 6), a commitment to transparent and accountable governance (SDG 16), significant investment in sustainable water infrastructure and remediation (SDG 11), and stricter regulations on harmful chemicals to prevent future crises (SDG 12).

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on PFAS contamination in Canadian communities addresses several interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The analysis identifies the following primary and related SDGs:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The core of the article revolves around the health risks posed by “forever chemicals” in drinking water. It explicitly mentions that PFAS are “linked to cancer, developmental delays and immune disorders.” The stress and uncertainty faced by residents, such as Nancy Coombs who worries about her family’s health conditions, directly relate to ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being.
• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation: This is the most central SDG discussed. The article’s main theme is the contamination of drinking water sources (wells) by PFAS, making the water unsafe for consumption. It details how residents in Torbay and other communities can no longer drink their tap water and must rely on bottled water provided by the government, highlighting a failure to ensure the availability and sustainable management of clean water.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The article traces the problem to its source: the production and use of PFAS-laced firefighting foams. It discusses the history of companies like 3M and DuPont manufacturing these chemicals and the subsequent environmental contamination from their use at airports and military bases. This connects to ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns, particularly the environmentally sound management of chemicals.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article highlights significant issues with institutional accountability and transparency. Residents and lawyers accuse government bodies like Transport Canada of a “lack of accountability” and a “lack of transparency.” The text notes that Ottawa “sat on test results” for years in some cases, and residents are now filing class-action lawsuits to seek justice and compensation, pointing to a need for effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The contamination directly impacts the safety and sustainability of communities like Torbay, North Bay, and Mississippi Mills. The article mentions residents’ concerns about the loss of property value (“‘Jesus, my dear you might never be able to sell that.'”). Furthermore, the need to build entirely new water supply systems, as mentioned for Torbay, relates to providing access to basic services and upgrading infrastructure to make communities resilient.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the issues detailed in the article, several specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Under SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being):
   • Target 3.9: “By 2030, substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination.” The entire article is a case study of this target, focusing on the contamination of soil and water by hazardous PFAS chemicals and the associated health risks like cancer and immune disorders mentioned in the text.
2. Under SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation):
   • Target 6.1: “By 2030, achieve universal and equitable access to safe and affordable drinking water for all.” The article demonstrates a failure to meet this target in affected communities. Residents like Judy Moss and the Sheerr family no longer have safe drinking water from their taps and are dependent on government-supplied bottled water, which is described as an “interim measure.”
   • Target 6.3: “By 2030, improve water quality by reducing pollution… and minimizing release of hazardous chemicals and materials…” The contamination is a direct result of the release of hazardous chemicals (PFAS) from firefighting foams that “seep into the soil” and groundwater, directly contravening the goal of this target.
   • Target 6.b: “Support and strengthen the participation of local communities in improving water and sanitation management.” The article shows local communities actively trying to participate by demanding tests, seeking information, and filing lawsuits. The frustration of residents like Nancy Coombs (“Why didn’t they test the whole neighbourhood?”) shows a desire for more inclusive management of the crisis.
3. Under SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production):
   • Target 12.4: “By 2020, achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle… and significantly reduce their release to air, water and soil in order to minimize their adverse impacts on human health and the environment.” The article details a historical failure to achieve this target, describing how PFAS from firefighting foams were used for decades without proper management, leading to their release into the environment and subsequent contamination of 87 federal sites.
4. Under SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions):
   • Target 16.6: “Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.” The article provides evidence of institutional failures, citing a “lack of accountability” and “lack of transparency.” For example, it states that in one case, an agency “knew PFAS had permeated local groundwater two years before telling residents,” which is a clear failure of transparency.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

Yes, the article contains several quantitative and qualitative indicators that can be used to measure the status of and progress towards the identified targets.

• Indicator for Targets 3.9 and 6.3 (Pollution Levels): The concentration of PFAS in drinking water is a direct indicator. The article provides specific measurements:
  • Judy Moss’s water contained 140.9 ng/L of PFAS.
  • Health Canada’s recommended safety limit is 30 ng/L.
  • DND tests in North Bay showed levels as high as 400 ng/L.
  • Tests in La Baie found levels up to 197 ng/L.
  • Progress would be measured by the reduction of these levels to below the safety threshold.
• Indicator for Target 6.1 (Access to Safe Water): The number of households without access to safe tap water is a key indicator. The article states:
  • “Households in 11 communities now depend on bottled water supplied by Ottawa.”
  • Specific numbers are given for some locations, such as 23 residences in North Bay and 4 in Mountain View.
  • Progress would be measured by the reduction of this number to zero.
• Indicator for Target 12.4 (Chemical Management): The number of contaminated sites serves as an indicator of the scale of chemical mismanagement.
  • The article reports that Ottawa has identified 87 federal sites where PFAS have contaminated groundwater.
  • Progress would be measured by the number of sites successfully remediated.
• Indicator for Target 16.6 (Institutional Transparency): The time lag between the discovery of contamination and public notification is an indicator of transparency.
  • The article notes that in Mississippi Mills, residents were only informed two years after the agency knew about the groundwater contamination. Reducing this time lag in future incidents would indicate progress.
• Indicator for Economic Impact and Remediation (Relates to SDG 11 & 12): The cost of remediation and infrastructure projects is a financial indicator.
  • The article mentions that Ottawa pledged $26.8-million for a new water system in Torbay, the federal government pledged $15.5-million for filtration units in La Baie, and DND has put up nearly $20-million to remediate the North Bay plume. These figures indicate the economic burden of the contamination.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: theglobeandmail.com