The Canadian Federal Government forecasts over the next 25 years, the province of Ontario's population will increase from just over 12 million to 18 million. Commercial truck traffic is expected to double in the next twenty years. In the border community of Windsor Ontario/Detroit Michigan this will equate to 50,000 trucks a day. Immediate concerns are the effects of diesel engine exhaust on the population - specifically cancer, asthma, respiratory ailments, endocrine disruption, and as the exhaust ends up in smog, ozone, greenhouse gases, global warming and climate change. This discussion is concerned with the suggestion that the chemicals in diesel engine exhaust are contributors to endocrine disruption. The suggestion is that more females than males will be born, there is lots of science that this possibility does exist in fish and wildlife.

The fact that the way the world has chosen to ship freight, specifically by truck ,has brought about a significant increase in the amount of pollution. These chemicals are persistent organic pollutants - they contain dioxins, furans and several chemicals such as benzene, lead, cadmium and toluene - which are all suspected, probable or known to be carcinogenic. These chemicals are ending up in the air, water and food chain, especially with indigenous peoples.

The chemcials found in Diesel Engine Exhaust, are similar to chemicals in tobacco smoke, pesticides, herbicides and insecticides. Science needs to discuss and advance this knowledge in order to develop safer fuels.

Is it possible that environmental contaminants are affecting the ability of sperm to survive and contribute to the fertilization process in nature and humans? If this is indeed a fact, then it would make sense that the egg would do everything it had to for survival. This might explain why there are more females in affected populations.

Leo Petrilli

www.planethawk.org

cell: 1-519-564-3085

leovan7052@yahoo.ca