Environmental Science & Engineering - www.esemag.com - January 2006
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Environmental News - January 2006

Nova Scotia introduces new criteria for domestic fuel oil spills

The cost of cleaning up domestic fuel oil spills is expected to fall with changes to soil and water remediation criteria announced in December 2005 by the Department of Environment and Labour. The changes will raise the total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) allowed in residential soil to 140 parts per million from 60.

This will reduce the amount of soil that has to be removed after fuel oil contamination, says the department.

NS Environment and Labour Minister Kerry Morash said the changes conform to an Atlantic Canadian standard based on the latest science and Canada-wide guidelines. "These are risk-based standards developed from the best science available, which continue to protect the environment and human health, but they will lessen the burden on property owners affected by domestic fuel oil spills.”

The maximum total petroleum hydrocarbons allowed for groundwater at residential sites will increase to 3.2 parts per million from 1.1.

For commercial properties contaminated by domestic fuel oil, the criterion for soil will rise to 840 parts per million from 90; and the limit for groundwater at commercial sites will increase to 15 parts per million from 1.8.

Detailed information is available at www.gov.ns.ca/enla/contaminatedsites

N.B. communities to get more than $146 million for infrastructure

The governments of New Brunswick and Canada have reached an agreement that will see more than $116 million in federal gas-tax revenues, as well an additional $30 million from the province, invested in New Brunswick communities over five years for environmentally sustainable municipal infrastructure.

"With this new deal, all New Brunswickers get their fair share of gastax revenue," Premier Bernard Lord said. "We believe that if New Brunswickers from all regions of the province pay gas taxes, they are entitled to the tax, wherever they live. This ensures that larger-populated municipalities will get a share of the tax, and that less-populated local service districts (LSDs) will get their share. This was the right thing to do and it was a matter of fairness."

Gas-tax funds will be invested in environmentally sustainable municipal infrastructure. Eligible project categories include public transit, community energy systems, water, wastewater treatment and storm sewer drainage systems, solid waste management, and roads and bridges, where it can be demonstrated that they will enhance environmental sustainability outcomes.

Ontario revises its Drive Clean program

The Ontario government says it is protecting the environment and saving Ontarians time and money by improving the Drive Clean program with exemptions for newer, cleaner vehicles and a focus on older vehicles most likely to pollute.

Environment Minister Laurel Broten said that “newer vehicles were passing Drive Clean more than 99 per cent of the time.”

Drive Clean is Ontario's testing and repair program, designed to cut smogcausing emissions from cars, trucks and buses. Currently, the program requires light-duty vehicles that are at least three years old to be tested every two years to renew their licence plates. Light-duty vehicles that are 20 years old or more are exempt from testing. A recent science- based review recommended that the program be improved by exempting newer vehicles and focusing more strongly on older vehicles that are most likely to pollute.

Effective January 1, 2006, the program is being revised by starting emissions tests to renew licence plates when vehicles are five years old, instead of three, Heavy-duty trucks and buses will also require tests beginning when they are five years old, instead of three.

Change of representation in Ontario

Parkson Corporation has announced a change in representation for Ontario. Effective January 1, 2006, their manufacturer’s representative for the entire Parkson product line in Ontario is H2Flow Equipment Inc. of Concord (www.h2flow.com). Established in 1992, H2Flow Equipment supplies processes and equipment for water and wastewater treatment for industrial and municipal use in Ontario.

Study finds no negative impact from cleanup

Dozens of scientists, engineers, and technical specialists from three environmental engineering firms say the Sydney Tar Ponds cleanup project in Nova Scotia will have no significant negative effects on the environment.

“Construction practices identified in the report can successfully manage all potential negative effects of the project," said Gregory Gillis, senior project manager with AMEC Earth and Environmental, lead firm in the consortium that produced the environmental impact statement. In addition to AMEC, two other environmental consulting firms, Jacques Whitford and ADI Ltd., contributed to the report.

The seven-volume, 3,000-page report is available at www.TarPondsCleanup.ca

The agency has also released a 27- page summary in plain language. Copies of a summary are available at summary@tarpondscleanup.ca

Toxic chemicals in cars are major source of pollution

Seat cushions, arm rests, floor coverings and plastic parts used in most car interiors are made with toxic chemicals known to pose major public health risks. PBDEs, (polybrominated diphenylethers) used as fire retardants, and phthalates, used to soften PVC plastics, have been linked to birth defects, impaired learning, liver toxicity, premature births, and early puberty in laboratory animals, among other serious health problems. These chemicals are rapidly released from plastics inside cars when exposed to high temperatures; and cars sitting in the sun can easily reach up to 192ºF.

A first-of-its-kind report by the Ecology Center – “Toxic at Any Speed: Chemicals in Cars and the Need for Safe Alternatives” - found significantly higher levels of PBDEs in dust and windshield wipe samples than those found in homes and offices in previous studies. Since the average American spends more than 1.5 hours in their car every day, this is a significant source of indoor air pollution. The study ranks car manufacturers according to the levels of toxic chemicals found inside the vehicles. Manufacturers included in the study are: BMW, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Hyundai, Mercedes, Subaru, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo.

The report urges automobile manufacturers to replace PBDEs and phthalates with safer alternatives, and supports government action to phase-out these toxic chemicals. In the meantime, drivers can decrease the heat inside cars by rolling down windows, using solar reflectors and parking in the shade.

Ontario introduces Clean Water Act

Ontario’s proposed Clean Water Act, would require municipalities and conservation authorities to map the sources of municipal drinking water supply, and especially the vulnerable areas that need protection, to prevent the supply from being depleted or contaminated. It could also direct local communities to monitor any activity that could potentially threaten water quality or quantity and take action to reduce or remove that threat. The Act will also empower local authorities to take preventative measures before a threat to water can cause harm.

For the first time, communities could work together across watersheds in full and public consultation to develop and execute plans to protect their drinking water sources. This new approach is based on science, increased vigilance and the necessary foresight to avoid potential problems, not just deal with immediate ones, says the government.

To ensure that communities are able to fully complete these studies, the government recently announced an investment of $67.5 million – $51 million over five years for technical studies and $16.5 million for conservation authorities over the next year for staff and resources.

If passed, The Clean Water Act would help integrate water protection and growth planning and ensure that growing communities can continue to have an appropriate supply of safe, clean water. The act would better protect both the quantity and quality of the water in Ontario’s aquifers, rivers and lakes, including the Great Lakes according to the Ontario government.

Walkerton to have water treatment demonstration plant

Ontario's Walkerton Clean Water Centre is planning an interim state-ofthe- art technology demonstration site, which will include conventional and advanced water treatment systems, monitoring and control instruments, a distribution system, and numerous kinds of operating devices, such as valves and pumps.

The Centre intends to have the site include a pilot scale system which can be be used for hands-on training, technology demonstration and research. It is inviting drinking water equipment manufacturers and suppliers to participate in the process of building this state-of-the-art site by donating their equipment and instruments.

The site will be available to operators, operating authorities of water treatment systems, engineers, consultants, educators and students, for training and education. The equipment would be used to provide information and education on advanced water treatment technologies, to professionals in the water industry. It is also an opportunity for equipment manufacturers and suppliers to introduce their technologies.

For further Information contact: Dr. Saad Y. Jasim, CEO Walkerton Clean Water Centre,
Tel: (519) 881-2003
E-mail: sjasim@wcwc.ca

The 15th annual Canadian Environmental Conference and Tradeshow (CANECT)

The Canadian Environmental Conference and Tradeshow (CANECT) will be held May 1-2, 2006 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in downtown Toronto. Workshop topics this year include: For further information visit www.canect.net.



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