Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is ordering all petrochemical companies operating in Sarnia to take steps to control leaks of the cancer-causing chemical benzene.
OTTAWA — Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault is ordering all petrochemical companies operating in Sarnia to take steps to control leaks of the cancer-causing chemical benzene.
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The order comes a month after elevated levels of benzene pollution were recorded around the Ineos Styrolution plant in Sarnia, which makes styrene out of benzene.
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Benzene, a natural component of petroleum, is the simplest organic, aromatic hydrocarbon, according to britannica.com. It is highly toxic and is a known carcinogen; exposure to it may cause leukemia.
“It is simply unacceptable that the people of Aamjiwnaang First Nation and Sarnia face ongoing issues with poor air quality,” Guilbeault said in a statement Friday. “Indigenous peoples have a right to a healthy environment and too often are impacted by polluting industries.”
On April 16, the First Nation calling for the shutdown of the Ineos plant as an air quality monitoring station near the band office recorded high benzene levels and residents complained of headaches, nausea and dizziness.
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In a statement April 30, the company said its monitoring did not detect any pollution over its allowed limits.
The temporary order signed by Guilbeault requires any facility that has recorded excess levels of benzene between March 1, 2023, and Feb. 29, 2024, to put in place vapor control measures on benzene storage tanks.
The order will be in effect for 14 days, pending cabinet approval, which would extend the order for as long as two years, according to the ministry.
“Aamjiwnaang. . . which is bordered by Sarnia’s refinery and petrochemical district, will directly benefit from this order, which will reduce benzene emissions and their accompanying health impacts,” it said.
Ontario has suspended Ineos Styrolution’s operating approval until major fixes are made, including removing all benzene storage from the site and repairing leaky equipment.
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“Aamjiwnaang is confident that this order will not only add to the protection of the air quality in Aamjiwnaang, but also relieve the burden placed upon the airshed in the Sarnia–Lambton area,” the First Nation said in a statement.
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley said that, as far as he knows, other chemical sites in Sarnia are operating within allowable standards. “So, hopefully that won’t impact them.”
“I’ve always said companies have to work within regulations governments give them, and they need to meet them,” Bradley said. “It’s about health.”
Sarnia and neighboring St. Clair Township are home to three refineries and more than 35 chemical facilities.
Bradley said he spoke recently to Aamjiwnaang Chief Chris Plain “and the observation would be they’re going to wall on this one because there are very serious health impacts on them.”
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The First Nation hosted a members-only information session at its community center Friday with Environment and Climatee Change Canada and Health Canada officials on hand to provide information and answer questions, Aamjiwnaang said on social media.
“We will continue to support the community through benzene level assessments to evaluate potential health risks from exposure, and through strong regulations and safety measures to mitigate harmful air pollution,” federal Health Minister Mark Holland said in a statement.
“Our members share a commitment to being accountable and responsive to the public, especially the local communities in which they operate and to taking preventative action to protect health and the environment,” Bob Masterson, chief executive of the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, said in a statement.
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Data reported by Environment and Climate Change Canada indicates that, since 1992, association member companies, including several in the Sarnia area, “have reduced releases of all Group 1 and 2A (International Agency for Research on Cancer) classified carcinogens, including benzene, by more than 90 per cent,” he said.
The association was gathering information on Friday’s interim federal order and wasn’t in a position to comment further, Masterson said.
“We applaud strong action by the provincial and federal governments on benzene emissions in the Sarnia area,” Theresa McClenaghan, executive director of the Canadian Environmental Law Association, said in a statement.
“It is high time that we see definitive action to end this ongoing travesty of justice to the local community from the high releases of benzene to air.”
With files from Paul Morden, The Observer
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