Environmental activists are demanding immediate action on oilsands developments, after a report indicated that over five million litres of toxic waste leak from a tailings pond near the Athabasca River each day.
“The whole environment and people in that area are being contaminated, and they say it’s been going on since the ’60s,” said Greenpeace tar sands campaigner Heather Milton-Lightening.
Yesterday, Greenpeace campaigners met with Alberta Environment Minister Rob Renner, asking for immediate change.
“We are calling for no new developments or approvals on the tar sands,” she said. “Even if we did stop development today, we’re still going to feel the brunt of climate change and pollution in the air and water. If we do stop it, we can help alleviate the severity.”