A letter from a Michigan Senator to the International Joint Commission is a start, but the IJC needs more direction to take action.
Senator Gary Peters want the IJC to investigate the cumulative impact of air pollution on residents on both sides of the border.
In the letter Peters refers to both Wayne County Michigan and Essex County and links health impacts to pollutants like oil refineries, coal power plants and other industrial facilities.
Sally Colmish is the Public Affairs Officer at the IJC Windsor Office. She says there have been a number of studies into the question as far back as 1992.
"It has been an issue for a while and is something the entire area would like answers to and figure out how to lessen the impact on the residents' health in the area," says Colmish.
She says the commission can study the issue, but can't take any action. Colmish says the letter from Senator Peters is detailed to the exact pollutants that affect parts of Wayne County and the effect it has specifically on people with asthma,
Sen. Peters says the Detroit-area has the highest rate of asthma among young children with 24,000 children under 11 having the condition.
- with files from AM800's Kathie McMann