Community Knowledge Sharing Conversations
Environmental pollution, toxic chemicals and our health
About the project
The community knowledge sharing conversations are part of a study led by researchers at Health Canada and the University of Ottawa in collaboration with the Immigrants Working Centre, the Hamilton Community Legal Clinic and City of Hamilton Public Health.
The purpose of the study is to find ways to make health research on environmental chemicals more inclusive, useful and without harm for equity-deserving communities.
Research on environmental chemicals has not done a good job of including newcomers, people who identify as Black or racialized, and people living on low income. Because of this exclusion, the research findings are not as useful in informing actions to promote health and wellbeing within these communities.
Why join a Knowledge Sharing Conversation? You will have an opportunity to:
- Share your concerns about pollution/chemicals and health
- Learn about chemicals/pollution in our neighbourhoods, homes, workplaces and products
- Explore: Talk about what it would be like to participate in an environmental health research study. Brainstorm ideas on how such studies could be more inclusive and beneficial for communities.
- Share a meal and socialize with others
- Receive an honorarium for your time.
What is the concern?
Harmful substances such as lead, BPA, pesticides and mould can affect our health. Exposures to pollution and toxic chemicals in day-to-day life have been linked to health problems such as:
- asthma
- cancer
- heart disease
Some people, such as children and pregnant persons, are at greater risk. Exposures to certain chemicals during pregnancy and childhood can:
- harm children’s developing brains and ability to learn
- increase children’s risk of developing health problems later in life
Exposures to chemicals during pregnancy may also affect the health of the pregnant person and increase their risk for conditions such as diabetes.
Racialized and low-income communities often bear a higher burden of exposure to environmental chemicals and pollution. This environmental injustice contributes to health inequities.
For more information
- Rosemary Aswani, raswani@iwchamilton.ca
- Wasan Mohamad, wmohamad@iwchamilton.ca
- Gopal Banerjee, HCLC, gopal.banerjee@hclc.clcj.ca
- Erin Fuller, Hamilton Public Health, erin.fuller@hamilton.ca
- Erica Phipps, uOttawa: ephipps@uottawa.ca
- Jillian Ashley-Martin, Health Canada, jillian.ashley-martin@hc-sc.gc.ca
We acknowledge with gratitude and respect that this research project is taking place on the traditional territories of the Erie, Neutral, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee and Mississaugas, on land that is covered by the Dish With One Spoon Wampum Belt Covenant, an agreement between the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabek to share and care for the resources around the Great Lakes. We further acknowledge that this land is covered by the Between the Lakes Purchase, 1792, between the Crown and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation.
ALL LOCATIONS
Main Site
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8 Main St. E. Ste. #101
Hamilton, ON L8N 1E8 - 905-529-5209
Downtown East
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100 Main St. E. Ste. #210 & 250
Hamilton, ON L8N 3W4 - 905-529-5209
East Mountain
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1119 Fennell Ave. E. Ste. #234
Hamilton, ON L8T 1S2 - 905-529-5209
Hamilton East
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160 Centennial Pkwy North #7
Hamilton, ON L8E 1H9 - 905-529-5209
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Charitable registration number: 132518192RR0001
