I decided that I would focus on mercury, because that's a neurotoxin. It's the most serious chemical out there, which the federal government has failed to regulate.
It's very difficult unless you give up your career and paid work and take the time to inform yourself. The only way to.... Frankly, as the lawyer from Tahltan has said, these issues come up when a disaster occurs in your community, or when a project is proposed near your community or on a river or lake you care about. Then you get engaged. Then you start hearing about what the potential chemicals are that might impact you.
Just generally, in the federal government's regulating of chemicals under CEPA, it's very hard to garner people's interest. That's why I'm saying there needs to be a specific advisory body of NGOs that are willing to give their time to this on behalf of their communities across the country.