CANADA – ONTARIO – MAY 13, 2004 – PAPER MILL SLUDGE ACUTELY TOXIC FOR LEAD - CONTAMINATES
WETLANDS, KILLS
Ontario Disposal does not intend to remove sludge from Flamborough site – EXCERPTS:
Hamilton - Hamilton Harbour Ontario Hamilton Spectator May 13/2004 Judge told sludge in wetlands won't be moved
off property by Daniel Nolan
A lawyer for a Flamborough man and an Oshawa company charged with placing 70,000 tonnes of paper-fibre sludge in
a provincially significant wetland has told court his clients intend to move it from the wetland before the fall. But
Frank Zechner says his clients don't plan to move it entirely off the Gore Road property of Doug and Anne Stafford,
although that is what the Ontario Ministry of the Environment and the Hamilton Conservation Authority want. The paper-
fibre sludge has been constructed into berms and some of it has been moved recently from the Beverly Swamp.
"We're not intending to move it off the property at this time," the Toronto lawyer said yesterday after an appearance
before justice of the peace Wendy Casey.
"We are endeavouring to move it out of the regulated fill area. We are waiting (for) the Hamilton Conservation Authority
to stake out exactly where the area is." Zechner was appearing in court for the Staffords, but was also appearing on
behalf of Courtice Auto Wreckers Ltd. of Oshawa. The company placed the berms on the Stafford property three
months ago.
The HCA charged the Staffords and Courtice Jan. 20. The Environment Ministry issued an emergency order last month
giving Courtice to the end of May to remove the sludge. The next court date for the HCA charge is June 22.
Contact us: 245 Queen's Quay West, Toronto, Ontario M5J 2K9 T) 416.861.1237
The following are observations found in the report of Provincial Officer Brad Farnand dated April 5, 2004:
“. . . THE EFFLUENT FAILED TOXICITY TESTING FOR BOTH TROUT AND DAPHNIA . . . MORTALITY RATE 100% . .
. . EFFLUENT WAS ALSO ACUTELY TOXIC FOR LEAD, EXCEEDED PROVINCIAL WATER QUALITY OBJECTIVE
FOR pH AND E-COLI AND WAS HIGH FOR SUSPENDED SOLIDS, FECAL STREPTOCOCCI AND BOD (Biochemical
Oxygen Demand) “
“ . . . UNCONTROLLED DISCHARGE FROM THE SITE IS LIKELY TO CAUSE AN ADVERSE EFFECT IN BOTH
IMPAIRMENT OF THE QUALITY OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND INJURY OR DAMAGE TO PLANT AND
AQUATIC LIFE . . . HIGH LEVELS OF PATHOGENS . . . ARE ALSO A SAFETY CONCERN FOR HUMANS . . . THIS
HEADWATER AREA IS CLASSIFIED AS ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREA AND SIGNIFICANT WETLAND . . .