Top 10 Greenhouse Gas Polluters

Every Canadian, or almost is trying to do something about climate change. Whether it be, taking the bus, their bike or buying locally to save on transportation. Yes, people are trying, but are Canadian industries trying? These Greenhouse gas emitters have expelled more than 120 million tonnes of gases in one year, for a total of 758 million tonnes since 2004. In addition to causing climate change, the pollution these companies are emitting are causing major environmental and property damage from acid rain to sulfur dioxide, which inflicts a serious health toll in terms of asthma attacks and lung ailments, and pollution from power plants is linked to heart and lung diseases, which contribute to more than 20,000 premature deaths a year. Mercury is a highly toxic metal that, once released into the atmosphere, settles in lakes and rivers, where it moves up the food chain to humans. Here are the Canada’s top 10 greenhouse gas polluters.

At number 10 we have Dofasco inc. This industry specializes in steel making, ‘’ We will minimize our environmental impact through innovative design and practices to improve our processes and our products.’’ Says their website, and even adds, ‘’ We will meet standards set by legislation and go beyond compliance where appropriate through voluntary commitments to stakeholders.’’ Note the ‘ voluntary commitment’.

Next is Petro –Canada.,one of Canada’s largest oil and gas companies. ‘’Energy efficiency is a key focus of a climate change strategy Petro-Canada updated in 2005.’’ They even go as far as admitting that additional compressors increased emissions. Indeed, since 2001 there has been a 1,519 kilo tonnes of Greenhouse Gas increase. Petro-Canada deserves the 9th place.

Number 8 is EPCOR generation inc. They construct and operate all their power generating facilities. They to have environmental commitments, like follow the applicable law that is not yet set. Which is why they are number 8 and not 7..

Next at number 7 we have Suncor Energy Inc. Oil Sands. They recover bitumen from oil sands and upgrades it to refinery-ready feedstock and diesel fuel. ‘’ New technologies have allowed Suncor to reduce, on a per-barrel basis, the amount of greenhouse gas emissions emitted as well as the amount of water we use’’. It seems nice, but, ‘’ because our business is growing, most of those factors are on the increase’’. Maybe next year they will be happy to move up to number 6.