Sacrifice Zones: Life along the fenceline between the land and industry
In a recent article exploring the environmental and health impacts of plastic pollution on Indigenous fenceline communities in Canada—residential areas that sit next to facilities that emit pollutants like noise, light, odours, chemicals, and even traffic—Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN) spoke to Kanien’kehá:ka environmental advocate Lynn Jacobs about how plastic waste and industrial pollution have turned Indigenous homelands into “sacrifice zones.” Jacobs, who is pursuing a Ph.D. on plastics and colonialism at McGill's Department of Natural Resources Sciences, believes there is an urgent need for Indigenous perspectives in shaping global solutions.
With plastics now being discovered in astonishing locations—from the stomachs of fish to the remote lakes of Northwestern Ontario—the issue extends far beyond simple littering. “It has basically colonized the entire planet, the microplastics, and it has turned all of us into sacrifice zones,” says Jacobs, who has been critical of the lack of Indigenous rights in the draft Global Plastics Treaty and calls on Canada to take a stronger stance.
Similarly, in Aamjiwnaang, petrochemical plants have contributed to elevated benzene levels, prompting a state of emergency. Chief Janelle Nahmabin and Band Councillor CJ Smith-White echo calls for meaningful change, demanding a treaty that reflects Indigenous rights and knowledge.
As treaty negotiations continue, Indigenous leaders from the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Plastics urge world governments to prioritize frontline voices and take courageous action to curb the full life cycle of plastic pollution.
