A new $4.6-million, state-of-the-art research facility at the Canada Centre for Inland Waters will be used to try to better understand the environmental consequences of everyday chemicals and contaminants.

Scientists at the Aquatic Life Research Facility, which opened yesterday, will look at the downstream implications of consumer products such as dyes and cosmetics on fish and aquatic life.

“They might have been tested in humans. But we don’t know a lot about environment health effects on fish and invertebrates,” said Environment Canada scientist Joanne Parrott.

Scientists will also look at effluent from municipal sewage treatment plants. Maybe fish aren’t dying from it, but what about more subtle health effects? Is it affecting reproduction or causing cancers? Are there concerns for humans who eat the fish?

New chemicals are turning up in the Great Lakes, and scientists say much work needs to be done to understand the ecological effects. As well, there are perplexing problems with growing numbers of invasive species such as zebra mussels.

The new facility includes a fish hatchery, an experiment room for exposing aquatic life to varying levels of contaminants, a dissection room, as well as a lab that will look at environmental issues with turtles, amphibians and other aquatic life.

Gail Shea, the minister of fisheries and oceans, said yesterday the facility in Burlington off Eastport Drive will attract “graduate students, young scientists and university professors, as well as collaborators from provincial and federal fisheries and environmental fields in such a way that will make this region a leader in the scientific community.”

It replaces quarters originally built in the 1970s. More than 600 people work at CCIW either for Environment Canada or Fisheries and Oceans.

The new facility won’t mean more hirings but will lead to current employees being “more efficient and effective in what they do,” said Douglas Laing, the facility manager.

Terry Quinney of Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters said: “This is a very important investment by the government … recreational fishing in the Great Lakes is worth over $2 1/2 billion each year. We need to make sure that the fisheries are kept healthy and this type of research can only help that.”