Environmental groups worry some of Canada’s mines are dragging feet on federal order to report toxic mining waste
TORONTO – New data released Friday in response to a lawsuit won last year by Ecojustice, on behalf of Great Lakes United and MiningWatch Canada, is beginning to shine a light on the toxic legacy of Canada’s mining and tar sands industries.
Unfortunately, despite a lawsuit and a government order to report pollutant releases, some facilities have failed to comply.
“The public is finally starting to get a picture of the extent of the toxic burden created by Canada’s mines, but even now – after an order by a federal court judge and the Minister of the Environment – some mines have failed to report,” said Justin Duncan, staff lawyer for Ecojustice, and who represented Great Lakes United and MiningWatch Canada in the case.
“Right now we know that at least 500,000 tonnes of toxic substances are being added to tailings ponds and waste rock piles across the country every year. But until the rest of the facilities report, we won’t have a full picture.”
Data released late last week through Canada’s National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) reveals for the first time some of the pollutants released by mines to their tailings and waste rock dumps between 2006 and 2009. It showed approximately two million tonnes of pollutants placed in tailing and waste rock piles between 2006 and 2009.
Even despite several metal mines and coal mines not reporting as Environment Canada expected them to, available data clearly indicates mine waste often contains massive amounts of heavy metals such as lead, arsenic and other pollutants like sulphuric acid, that pose major threats to the environment and human health.
“The public has a right to know what toxics are being stored near their communities and watersheds, especially as evidence continues to grow that tailings dumps leak,” said John Jackson of Great Lakes United. “Even as these wastes build up year after year, there are mines that still haven’t provided a picture of the risk they pose. Environment Canada must fully enforce the law against those mines that fail to report.”
According to the data from Environment Canada, 58 of Canada’s 86 metal mines reported to the NPRI, as did 1 of 22 coal mines. While all are not required to report, Environment Canada stated that some expected mines did not provide data. The department said it will follow up with non-reporting and probable under-reporting facilities, and refer them to the enforcement branch as necessary.
In total, reporting facilities indicated they had disposed of more than 500,000 tonnes of toxic waste in tailings ponds and waste rock piles in 2009. This includes toxic substances like lead and sulphuric acid and cancer-causing substances, such as nickel, arsenic and chromium.
The numbers further highlight the need for better regulation and long-term waste management practices in the mining industry, including treatment of mine wastes during the decades after mine closure.
“Industry has to do a better job locating and constructing waste facilities, monitoring them and guaranteeing that they have the financial assurances in place for mine cleanup,” said Ramsey Hart of MiningWatch. “But first, we need the government to ensure that all facilities fully report their pollutant releases as the Court ordered them to do.”
In 2009 Federal Court Justice James Russell ruled that the federal government must end its illegal exclusion of mine tailings and waste rock pollution from the NPRI – Canada's legislated, publicly-accessible inventory of pollutant releases to air, water and land.
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Contacts:
Justin Duncan, staff lawyer | Ecojustice
416-368-7533 x22 or 647-865-9364 (cell)
John Jackson, director of clean production and toxics | Great Lakes United
519-744-7503
Jamie Kneen, communications coordinator | MiningWatch Canada 613-569-3439 or 613-761-2273 (cell)
For other inquiries and multimedia requests, please contact:
Kimberly Shearon, communications associate | Ecojustice
604-685-5618 x242
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