加拿大聯邦法院於1月10日召開聽證會，針對加拿大環境部長未盡責任要求採礦業者就其每天所製造出的200萬噸礦渣有毒物質進行回報，做出判決。
加拿大非營利性法律事務所「生態正義（Ecojustice）」於2007年底代表「加拿大看守礦業及五大湖聯盟」提出告訴，此國際聯盟做為環境保育人士、狩獵魚釣人士、社會團體、加拿大原住民部落的代表。
生態正義在提出的司法覆核申請中指出，環境部長或其下屬指示採礦公司，不需向加拿大全國污染物釋放清冊，回報他們送往尾砂庫和廢石場的污染物。加拿大全國污染物釋放清冊中，公開明列加拿大各工廠所排放、處理和回收的污染物。
生態正義受雇律師登肯表示：「我們認為環境部長忽視了他在加拿大環境保護法下所被賦與的職責，也就是讓民眾能了解礦業公司所排放的所有污染物。」
在加拿大，礦渣一般多屬酸性，若沒有被適當地控制則會滲出硫酸至表層水和地下蓄水層，此外也含有砷、汞、銅、鎳、硒及其他有毒物質。
從2006年開始，礦業公司在環境保護法下得以免除回報污染物的要求，此項規定讓採礦業者不需再回報冶礦萃取或粗碎過程中所排放出的污染物。
生態正義指出，雖然法律上有明文規定，但根據加拿大全國污染物釋放清冊的分析數據顯示，許多礦場截至目前都沒有確實回報2006年礦渣和廢石區所排放的物質。 
為了提出告訴，「加拿大看守礦業及五大湖聯盟」比較了美國和加拿大礦業公司回報污染物的標準。
在等同於加拿大全國污染物釋放清冊的美國聯邦有毒物質釋放清冊制度下，美國政府要求各礦業公司回報他們所排放的污染物，而這項措施已實施近十幾年。
生態正義及原告團體也點出，礦渣和廢石場中所產生的污染物，這些加拿大民眾所不知情的數據，在2005年的數量約佔美國礦業回報污染物的97%。
Canada's Federal Court heard a lawsuit today brought against the Minister of the Environment for failing to ensure that Canada's mining industry publicly reports the toxics in the two millions of tons of mine tailings it generates each day.
The lawsuit was filed in late 2007 by the nonprofit law firm Ecojustice on behalf of MiningWatch Canada and Great Lakes United, an international coalition representing environmentalists, conservationists, hunters and anglers, labor unions, community groups, and citizens of the United States, Canada, and First Nations and Tribes.
The Application for Judicial review alleges that the minister broke the law when he or ministry employees directed mining companies to not report pollution sent to tailings ponds and waste rock piles to the National Pollutant Release Inventory, NPRI, a publicly accessible inventory of pollutants released, disposed of and recycled by facilities in Canada.
"We are arguing that the minister has ignored his legal duties under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act to provide the public with the full extent of pollutants released by mining companies in Canada," said Justin Duncan, staff lawyer with Ecojustice.
In Canada, mine tailings are usually acidic, and if not properly contained they can leach sulphuric acid into surface waters and aquifers. They also can contain arsenic, mercury, copper, nickel, selenium and other toxic substances.
Until 2006 there was an exemption from reporting requirements under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act for mining facilities. The exemption provided that pollutant releases and transfers from extraction or primary crushing need not be reported.
Ecojustice says analysis of NPRI data indicates that mining facilities have so far failed to report releases and transfers of substances of concern to tailings areas and waste rock areas for 2006 as they are legally required to do.
In making their case, MiningWatch Canada and Great Lakes United compare the reporting standards U.S. mining companies must meet with those required of Canadian companies.
For more than a decade, the U.S. government has required mining companies to report the amount of pollutants they release under the American equivalent of the NPRI, the U.S. Toxics Release Inventory.
Pollution in the form of mine tailings and waste rock - the data being withheld from the Canadian public - accounted for more than 97 percent of the total pollutants reported by the U.S. mining industry in 2005, says Ecojustice and the plaintiff groups.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
