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Executive Summary In 1999, a total of 524 inspections were completed for 18 Inspection Programs, 222 inspections under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) and 302 under the Fisheries Act (FA). Of the 18 Inspection Programs, 8 were considered a national or regional priority, and compliance reports for these are listed below. The 8 Annual Compliance Reports provide an overview of the level of compliance with the environmental statutes and codes of practice under the CEPA the FA, and the various Regulations and Guidelines developed under these Acts. The annual reports summarize the intent of the legislation, the verification methods used, the compliance status of the regulated community, and the enforcement actions taken. From 1992 to 1997, the Fraser River Action Plan (FRAP) was the first regional environmental initiative that provided extra resources for compliance and enforcement activities and resulted in significant improvements in targeted industrial sectors. In 1998, the FRAP was suceeded by the five year Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative (GBEI) program, which provides tools, support and a framework for action towards sustainability in the Georgia Basin. The Regional Program Report Executive Summaries for 1999 are:
00-04 Pulp and Paper Mill Effluent Chlorinated Dioxins and Furans Regulations On March 17, 1990, the federal government announced its intention to regulate the discharge of dioxins and furans in the effluent of Canadian pulp and paper mills. The regulations came into effect in July of 1992 and required that all mills using chlorine achieve the maximum discharge limit of 15 parts per quadrillion (ppq) for 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-para -dioxin (2,3,7,8-TCDD) and 50 ppq for 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro dibenzofuran (2,3,7,8-TCDF) by January 1, 1994.
In 1999, there were two exceedances of the 50 ppq limit for furans. Data submitted by the Fletcher Challenge MacKenzie Pulp Mill indicated an effluent concentration of 200 ppq 2,3,7,8-TCDF in November and 89 ppq in December. Discharge levels for dioxins by all B.C. mills were within the regulated limits. Since 1987, loadings of 2,3,7,8-TCDD decreased 99.8% from 163 mg/day to 0.3 mg/day, and loadings of 2,3,7,8-TCDF decreased 99.9% from 9400 mg/day to 1.1 mg/day for all mills. Over the same period 2,3,7,8-TCDD decreased 99.6% from 57 mg/day to 0.2 mg/day and 2,3,7,8-TCDF decreased 99.9% from 703 mg/day to 0.5 mg/day for all mills which discharge to the Fraser River Basin. Of the original 1200 km2 area closed to shellfish harvesting 557 km2 (46%) were reopened as of 1997, and additional openings are pending. 00-05 Export and Import of Hazardous Waste Regulations Large volumes of waste, some of which are hazardous, are created by industrial and household activities. Safe disposal or recycling of these wastes is essential. Concern over the possible export of these materials to industrializing countries for cheap disposal has prompted a number of international agreements promoting waste tracking. In signing these agreements, Canada made a commitment to develop national legislation to promote the environmentally sound management of hazardous wastes. This led to the development of the Export and Import of Hazardous Waste Regulations (EIHWR) under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA).
Environment Canada inspected 31 facilities in British Columbia between April 1999 and March 2000 to verify compliance with the EIHWRs. Of the 31 inspections made, two cases were referred to the Investigations Section for further action. Two warning letters were issued to the companies for shipping hazardous wastes into and out of Canada without providing advance notice of the shipment. The Environmental Protection Branch (Pacific "&" Yukon Region) supported a national initiative to track a shipment of 110 tonnes of PCB-contaminated transformers, mineral oil, and other miscellaneous items, and prevent their unloading at the Port of Vancouver. Environment Canada also inspected 30 road shipments transiting through Canada from Alaska to the United States, and these were all in compliance with the Regulations. 00-06 Ocean Disposal in British Columbia Ocean disposal refers to the deliberate disposal at sea of substances from and including ships, aircraft, platforms or other structures, incineration at sea and the disposal of substances on ice. Ocean disposal does not include substances which may be harmful to the marine environment, including hazardous waste. Canada joined more than 70 countries in ratifying the London Convention (1972), an international agreement for the prevention of marine pollution by the dumping of wastes at sea. Canada's international obligations under this Convention are met under the provisions of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), Part VI. Environment Canada issues permits under Part VI that place controls on the nature of materials for disposal, the location of loading and disposal, timing and methods of disposal and amounts to be disposed of. There are currently 36 designated ocean disposal dump sites in British Columbia.
Between April 1, 1999 and March 31, 2000, there were 12 ocean disposal permits issued in the Pacific "&" Yukon Region. A total of 92 project approvals were authorized under these permits. Of the 88 projects notified to Inspections Section, 23 site inspections (26% of the total approved projects) of dredging and excavation operations were completed by CEPA Enforcement Officers. All of the operations inspected were in compliance with the terms and conditions of the ocean disposal permits. 00-07 Ozone Depleting Substances Regulations In June 1994, the Ozone-depleting Substances Regulations (ODSR) No. 1, 2 and 4 were consolidated/amended and retitled as the ODSR under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) to control the manufacture, use, sale, import, and export of bulk quantities of ozone depleting substances. The controlled substances covered by the ODSR include: chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), halons, methyl chloroform (MCF), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and hydrobromofluorocarbons (HBFCs). The 1994 and December 1995 amendments to the ODSR added methyl bromide (MBr) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), respectively to the list of controlled substances. In June 1994, the Ozone-depleting Substances Regulations No.3 (Products) was amended and retitled Ozone-depleting Substances Products Regulations (ODSPR) under the CEPA. The ODSPR prohibits the manufacture, import, sale and offer for sale of certain products containing CFCs. On January 1, 1999, the ODSPR were repealed and the requirements amalgamated into the ODSR which came into force on the same date.
Between May 1999 and March 2000, Environment Canada conducted 18 site inspections of known importers of ozone-depleting substances and methyl bromide users. Two of the companies inspected were found to have imported methyl bromide into Canada without a valid permit. Five site inspections involved the collection of 12 aerosol products suspected of containing controlled ozone-depleting substances. Laboratory analysis of these aerosol products indicated that no regulated substances were present. 00-08 Gas and Diesel Fuel Regulations Air pollution is a threat to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and to human health. Legislation and its enforcement as well as industry cooperation has reduced emissions of industrial pollutants considerably and transportation has emerged as the largest single source of air pollution in B.C. This is especially true in urban areas. Lowering the sulphur content of fuels will directly reduce emissions of harmful primary air pollutants such as sulphate particulate matter, sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon monoxide (CO) and benzene by enabling vehicle pollution control systems to function more efficiently. These emission reductions will lead to lower ambient air concentrations of secondary pollutants such as ground level ozone and particulates. Lowering the concentration of benzene in gasoline will also improve air quality, and protect the health of the environment and of Canadians.
The federal government, in cooperation with provincial regulators, has introduced a comprehensive program to improve air quality through regulation of fuel parameters and vehicle emission controls. In February 2000, a gasoline and diesel fuel sampling program was initiated at retail outlets in the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and Okanagan (including Fraser Country). The average concentration of sulphur in the gasoline samples collected was 108.6 µg/g, the concentration of sulphur in diesel was 319.5 µg/g, and the concentration of benzene in gasoline was 0.67% b/v. All gasoline and diesel fuel samples collected were found to be in complete compliance with the Sulphur in Gasoline Fuel Regulations, the Diesel Fuel Regulations and the Benzene in Gasoline Fuel Regulations, where applicable. 00-09 Metal Mining Liquid Effluent Regulations in British Columbia The extraction and milling of mineral ores from underground and open pit mines can generate effluents containing deleterious substances that pose a serious risk to the aquatic environment. Surface water and groundwater can react with sulphur in waste rock to form acid mine drainage (AMD) that can dissolve minerals containing heavy metals such as copper and zinc. The resulting effluents can be acutely lethal to fish and destroy fish habitat, resulting in violations of Sections 36(3) and 35(1) of the Fisheries Act (FA). Metal mining activities are federally regulated under the FA by the Metal Mining Liquid Effluent Regulations (MMLER) , administered by the Environmental Protection Branch of Environment Canada.
In 1999 a total of 9 mines were inspected. Only one mine was open and operating under the MMLER. The compliance rate for the MMLER Kemess Mine, based on grab sample collection and analysis, was 100%. The remaining eight mines were closed and regulated under section 36(3) of the FA. The compliance rate for the eight FA 36(3) mines, based on grab sample collection and analysis, was 93%. This resulted from exceedences at the Mount Washington and Tulsequah Chief Mines. Company-submitted data was also available for 14 non-inspected mines, and of these, 4 of 5 MMLER mines were out of compliance with the regulations. Craigmont had 1 exceedence, Eskay Creek had 3 exceedences, Myra Falls had 6 exceedences, and Snip (Homestake) had 4 exceedences. Only Huckleberry mine had no exceedences. The one Metal Mining Liquid Effluent Guidelines (MMLEG) mine (Sullivan) was in compliance with the regulations. 00-10 Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations There are 27 mills in British Columbia which are subject to the federal Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations (PPER). These Regulations "prescribe certain deleterious substances" related to the effluent from pulp and paper mills and off-site treatment facilities and authorize the deposit of limited quantities of the substances under specific conditions. The PPER and the Port Alberni Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations (PAPPER) came into effect on May 7, 1992 and Nov. 12, 1992 respectively. These Regulations control the discharge of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), total suspended solids (TSS), acutely lethal effluent (ALE) and stipulate technical and reporting requirements.
In 1999, there were 4 days of acutely lethal effluent (ALE) discharge from the mills, compared to 1990 when 3,935 days of ALE discharge was recorded. There were 15 (daily) and 1 (monthly) BOD permit infractions during the year, and 13 (daily) and 2 (monthly) TSS permit infractions. The BOD and TSS exceedances were primarily from the Western Pulp Mill in Port Alice, and to a lesser extent, from the Fletcher Challenge Mills in Crofton and Mackenzie. All mills demonstrated a high degree of compliance with the technical and administrative requirements of the Regulations. 00-11 Ship and Boat Building Repair Industry The Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Ship and Boat Building and Repair Industry in British Columbia were published in August of 1995 under the Fraser River Action Plan. This document is an update and expansion of the 1989 draft Recommended Environmental Management Practice for the Ship And Boat Building and Repair Industry (REMP). The BMPs set out industrial techniques and good housekeeping practices for reducing the volume of contaminants that enters the environment from shipyards and boatyards. The BMPs are based on proven, workable techniques which have evolved in the Pacific Northwest ship and boatyards.
In 1999, marinas and shipyards were inspected in the Lower Mainland area and on the Sunshine Coast. Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands were inpsected in the spring of 2000. The 2000 Program marked the fifth year of ship and boatyard facility inspections. An inspection checklist developed from the BMPs was used to evaluate their implementation and to identify areas where improvements are needed. The industry score for implementation of BMPs was 45% for facilities inspected in 1999, and 60% for facilities inspected in 2000. For more information, please write or call: Head, Inspections Section Phone: (604)666-3056 |
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