Canada - Chemical spill on Highway

Chemical spill on Highway 401 fluorosilicic acid, a.k.a. fluoride

Gravenhurst Banner

Dear Editor — Last night a horrendous crash left death and injuries. This hazardous material unit emergency resulted in closure and evacuation on Hwy 401 near Kingston.

Could Muskoka be next?

The toxic material spilled on the highway has been identified as fluorosilicic acid, a.k.a. fluoride, which is the same raw industrial co-contaminated chemical transported and added to the drinking water of Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Muskoka Lakes (Bala, Port Carling), and Georgian Bay (MacTier). The sole purpose of adding this hazardous material to the drinking water is ostensibly to reduce dental decay.

A few years ago, Huntsville and Baysville (Lake of Bays) councillors, after much deliberation, exercised their due diligence, and voted to stop the addition of this toxic chemical to the drinking water, despite pressure from the Medical Officer of Health. Our neighbouring towns, Barrie, Orillia and Parry Sound, do not add fluorosilicic acid (fluoride) to the drinking water.

Thousands of scientists, toxicologists, doctors, dentists and other health professionals have spoken out about the proven health dangers of ingesting this unsafe chemical, especially since we are now overexposed to this toxin in food, beverages, dental products, etc. However, some Muskoka towns have decided to continue on with this contentious government-protected health policy, and still add fluorosilicic acid (fluoride) to the drinking water.

As the bees and pollinators are slowly dying from government-protected pesticides (neonicotinoids), our health is also being affected by a government-protected toxin in fluorosilicic acid (fluoride), which should never have been initiated 60 years ago.

So, if we do not care about what this toxin is doing to our children's, grandchildren's and our own health, at least we should start to care about what fluorosilicic acid is doing to our environment.

Our councillors, district and local, are the final decision-makers who can prevent another disaster like this happening to the environment, and also to our health.

Ruth Bednar, R.H.N., R.N.C.P., R.O.H.P.,

Gravenhurst