A recent environmental enforcement notification involving per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) garnered some interest, but it was not the largest environmental fine that was in the recent news cycle.
Company and Environmental Director Fined
As reported in January 2026 by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Superior General Partner Inc. was ordered by the Court of Québec to pay a $1,350,000 fine for violating the Fisheries Act. “Jean-François Roux, the plant’s technical and environmental director at the time of the violations, was fined $15,000.”
The company pleaded guilty to 12 counts of depositing sodium chlorite into water frequented by fish between June 27 and July 19, 2019, in violation of the Fisheries Act. The company and the individual pleaded guilty to failing to notify authorities immediately about the deposits.
On July 24, 2019, a representative of the plant informed ECCC that sodium chlorite had been deposited into Rivière du Lièvre in the plant’s final effluent on July 19, 2019. According to ECCC, the deposit was the result of equipment failure.
After being notified, ECCC enforcement officers conducted inspections of the plant’s premises. ECCC’s investigation revealed that sodium chlorite was deposited 12 times between June 27 and July 19, 2019. “In addition, the officers found that employees had been slow to identify the leak and that five days had elapsed before Environment and Climate Change Canada was notified.”
(Source: Government of Canada).
Another Cosmetics Company Fined for PFAS
In our April 2, 2024, blog, we reported that a cosmetic company (Groupe Marcelle Inc.) was fined $5,000,000 for the use of the PFAS, Perfluorononyl Dimethicone, in cosmetics. Another cosmetic company, Estee Lauder Cosmetics Ltd. (Estee Lauder), was recently fined for using the same PFAS in its products.
As reported by ECCC, on January 13, 2026, at the Ontario Court of Justice, Estee Lauder was fined $750,000 after pleading guilty to two counts of violating the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
As in the Groupe Marcelle 2024 violation, this violation was “related to the failure to inform the government regarding a significant new activity” and failure to comply with a compliance order. In addition to the fine, “the company was ordered by the Court to notify its shareholders about this conviction.”
Government agencies around the world are trying to get their arms around the use of PFAS in consumer products, including cosmetics (Photo by Amanda Wolbert on Unsplash).
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How the Violation was Discovered
In May 2023, as part of a routine inspection, ECCC enforcement officers discovered the company was selling some eyeliner products that had Perfluorononyl Dimethicone listed as an ingredient.
On June 8, 2023, officers issued an environmental protection compliance order to the company regarding the “significant new activity.” The order outlined steps the company was to take to become compliant with the significant new activity requirements of the Act. Ultimately, the company did not comply with the order, resulting in a violation of subsection 238(1) of the Act.
For more information about Significant new activity, see “Significant new activity provisions: Canadian Environmental Protection Act.”
(Source: Government of Canada).
PFAS in Cosmetics
Government agencies around the world are trying to get their arms around the use of PFAS in consumer products, including cosmetics.
According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Perfluorononyl Dimethicone is one of the common PFAS ingredients found in cosmetics. On December 29, 2025, the FDA published a report entitled “Report on the Use of PFAS in Cosmetic Products and Associated Risks.”
Several US States have or are in the process of banning PFAS in cosmetics. See Morgan Lewis’s blog, “State PFAS Bans in Cosmetics Expand Ahead of 2026.”
For more information regarding PFAS, see our PFAS Resources page.
Ontario Company Fined
As outlined in the Ontario Newsroom, Court Bulletin, Jason Geil and Geil Style Enterprises Inc. in Kitchener, Ontario, were fined $61,000 (and a victim surcharge) for violating the Ontario Environmental Protection Act.
The violations date back to 2020 when the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) received several complaints regarding “large quantities of waste and excess soil being accepted at the property owned by Jason Geil and Geil Style Enterprises.”
In November 2020, the MECP issued an order requiring the company to, among other things, retain a qualified person to submit a report to the Ministry regarding site conditions as well as any off-site impacts.
The report was submitted to the Ministry in December 2021. The report recommended additional work to assess off-site impacts.
The MECP issued a second Order in January 2023 that required the site to cease receiving waste and excess soil and retain a qualified consultant to conduct additional work. The MECP did not receive any further communication after issuing the January 2023 order, thereby failing to comply with the Order.
The MECP’s Environmental Investigation and Enforcement Branch investigated the matter and laid charges.
According to the Court Bulletin, the convictions are for failing to comply with a Provincial Officer’s Order by:
- Failing to retain the services of a qualified person as required.
- Failing to provide written confirmation to the Ministry that a qualified person had been retained as required.
- Failing to have a qualified person prepare and submit reports to the Ministry as required.
- Failing to register a certificate of requirement on title to the land registry office as required.
Jason Geil was convicted of four violations under the Environmental Protection Act, fined $14,000 plus a victim fine surcharge of $3,500, and given 15 days to pay. Geil Style Enterprises Inc. was convicted of four violations under the Environmental Protection Act, fined $47,000 plus a victim fine surcharge of $11,750, and given 15 days to pay.
Environmental Consulting Assistance
If you need assistance with an environmental assessment, remediation, or permitting issue, we can help. For more information or for assistance, contact Katherine Rey, E.P., at 519-948-7300, Ext. 137, or Christopher Paré, P.Geo., Ext. 114.
Alan Hahn drafted this blog. Alan has an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies and completed a graduate program in Environmental Management. He has worked in environmental management for more than 45 years. He has written hundreds of blogs and articles. His published work includes HazMat Magazine, BizX Magazine, Michigan Lawyers Weekly, GreenStone Partners, Manure Manager Magazine, and Progressive Dairy.
Katherine Rey, EP, reviewed this blog. Katherine is a project manager at Dragun’s Windsor, Ontario, office. Katherine has more than 17 years of experience on projects ranging from environmental site assessments (Phase One/Two ESA), excess soils, remedial investigations, soil and groundwater remediation, Permits to Take Water, Records of Site Conditions, vapour intrusion, and site decommissioning. See Katherine’s bio.
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