It’s been almost two years since the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) finalized regulation requiring facilities with air, noise, and odour emissions to register with the Environmental Activity and Sector Registry (EASR). This regulation, entitled Ontario Regulation (O. Reg.) 1/17 of the Environmental Protection Act, dated January 2017, applies to all Ontario facilities not explicitly excluded in the regulation. These excluded facilities, which are...
Read MoreCanadian Oil Refineries Focus of Articles
To say that our economy is dependent on “black gold” or fossil fuels is an understatement. The energy from fossil fuels, as well as the myriad of other natural resources, support our highly mobile, communicative, and knowledge-based economy. As we refine our various natural resources for “consumption,” there are environmental management considerations. While our consumer-based society certainly enjoys the end products (gasoline/diesel fuel, mobile phones, computers,...
Read MoreSoil and Groundwater Assessment in Ontario and an Updated Option for Site Closures
Buying and selling commercial/industrial property in Ontario will typically include some level of environmental site assessment. When this assessment identifies a contaminant above the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) Site Condition Standards, the solutions can get complicated, and expensive at times. An improved “tool” recently modified by the MOECC may be helpful at sites where “additional work” is required to complete the environmental...
Read MoreSix-Figure Fine for Stormwater Violations
Earlier this year, the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) fined a subcontractor $600,000 for the discharge of “sediment-laden water” into nearby streams, for not reporting the discharge, and for failing to employ the best management practices. According to the news release, a stormwater and erosion prevention plan was submitted for review and approved by the MOECC. It is noteworthy that the main contractor was exonerated because it was specifically...
Read MoreVapour Intrusion Update
Understanding the vapour intrusion (VI) pathway and exposure is still a relatively “young issue” in the environmental sciences. Not only is it new-ish, it is also loaded with potential pitfalls, liability, and controversy. One of the reasons that VI receives so much attention is because, unlike dermal exposure, for example, chemicals typically enter the bloodstream more easily through inhalation. Furthermore, the chemicals that are associated with VI (TCE, benzene) are...
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