It would be another ten years with a threat to the health of Mohawk children that an organized effort was coordinated to face the eminent problem of toxic waste exposure. They resolved to ensure that the health needs of the community became a priority. Through the sheer determination to better the community of Akwesasne, MASH was able to instill a sense of urgency. This sense of urgency would transpire into studies that would examine the toxic effects of pollution on wildlife and fish. The results revealed a record amount of PCBs in some of the wildlife like snapping turtles, frogs, and ducks.
Subsequent tests lead to a human health assessment that focused on PCBs in human breast milk.
By 1987, the public had become aware of the environmental degradation that was occurring in the community. The main task at that time was to acquire funding that would support programs to examine the air and water quality of the reservation. After that point, the environmental programs that evolved not only looked at the pollution generated by the factories, but also focused on other environmental issues that included natural resource protection, solid waste, gas station regulation, and indoor air quality. The strong willed character of the Mohawk people has persevered and as a result, the community has confronted the degradation of our water, soil and air head on. Currently there are environmental programs and organizations within the community that have focused on preserving and enhancing the natural environment of Akwesasne.