Turn off accessible linear format and redisplay the web page in it's original layout. What You Can Do
From managing risks to our environment and our health to making investment choices, knowledge about the sources, trends, types and quantities of pollution in our communities can help us make many important decisions.
Many communities and decision-makers can use the NPRI to help build a more complete picture of pollution in the environment.
- Tips - How to Use the NPRI
- Case Studies - Communities Using the NPRI
- Making Changes to the NPRI - What You Can Do
- Related Links
Tips - How You Can Use the NPRI
1. Learn more about the sources, types and quantities of pollution in your community.
- Which facilities are releasing substances of concern?
- What is being released to local landfills, lakes and rivers?
- How much is being released in your community?
2. Find out information about industrial pollution trends at the local, regional or national level, or on trends in releases by a specific company or a facility in your community.
- Are releases of toxic and/or cancer-causing substances increasing or decreasing?
- How do releases in your community compare with those in other communities?
3. Help improve or maintain your community's environmental quality and manage certain risks to your health.
- Identify, monitor and act on current or potential environmental and related health issues that are impacted by releases of NPRI substances or industrial pollution.
- Reduce or minimize your impact on the environment by purchasing alternative products that are cleaner and greener; by considering a company's environmental performance as an investment factor and shareholder concern and by reducing your use and/or consumption of certain products.
4. Monitor the progress that governments are making in managing and preventing pollution in Canada.
5. Lead or participate in supportive community and emergency planning initiatives.
6. Monitor key aspects of corporate, community and sector environmental performance.
- Recognize and support environmental leaders in Canada.
- Influence companies and industrial sectors to improve their environmental performance.
- Hold industry and governments accountable.
- Monitor industrial pollution, pollution prevention and recycling trends.
7. Get involved in the public consultation process on the NPRI or on other regulatory and voluntary measures to protect the environment.
Case Studies - Communities Using the NPRI
Canada's communities must make hundreds of important decisions each year. These decisions might be on locations for new houses or industries, ways to management air and water quality, or ways to bring new business to an area to boost the local economy.
The environment is one of many things to consider in making such decisions. Some communities use the NPRI to understand more about their sources, trends, types and quantities of pollution in their area.
Case Study Number 1: Citizen's Environmental Alliance of Southwestern Ontario - air and water quality
Making Changes to the NPRI - What You Can Do
Whether new pollutants are added or reporting thresholds are changed, the NPRI continues to evolve. Environment Canada has established a permanent process for making changes to the NPRI - and it involves Canadians:
- Public consultations are an important part of the decision-making process for determining changes to the NPRI, including the list of reportable NPRI substances.
- Any person, government or organization in Canada can submit proposals to Environment Canada for changes to the NPRI program. Proposals must contain some specific elements.
- Environment Canada has established an NPRI Work Group on Substances to address proposed modifications to the NPRI program. This working group has representation from each of the following groups:
- industry associations;
- federal and provincial/territorial governments;
- non-government organizations; and
- aboriginal groups. - Learn more about how individuals can propose changes to the NPRI.
- Learn more about the NPRI multi-stakeholder working group and the consultations process.
- Environment Canada's What You Can Do web site has information and tips to help you take action for a cleaner and healthier environment at home, at school, at work, on the road, at play and in your community.
- The Canadian Pollution Prevention Information Clearinghouse (CPPIC) provides Canadians with the information they need to inform themselves and take action on pollution prevention.
- Clean Air Online - Taking Action Web Site
- Climate Change Action Web Site
- Sustainable Development and the Environment
