2   National Spill Statistics and Trends

2.1  Summary Findings for Reported Spills in Canada, 1984-1995

• 2.1.1 Number of Reported Spills by Year
• 2.1.2 Total Quantity of Reported Spills by Year
• 2.1.3 Number of Reported Spills by Province and Territory
• 2.1.4 Reported Spills by Month and Season
• 2.1.5 Reported Spills by Broad Sectors
• 2.1.6 Distribution of Spills by Quantity and by Year

NATES is a database that is comprised of data reported voluntarily from many sources. These data were used as the basis for the trends and analyses presented in this report. Although NATES does not contain information on all spills occurring in Canada, it has captured the more significant spills that have occurred in all provinces and territories over the past 22 years.

The present report summarizes spill events for the period 1984-1995. The previous trends report titled Summary of Spill Events in Canada, 1974-1983 (Environment Canada, 1987) is available from Environment Canada.

Summary findings for each section are presented in bullet form on the introductory page of the section.

2.1   Summary Findings for Reported Spills in Canada, 1984-1995

• The number of reported spills increases in the late 1980s and remains relatively constant since that time. This increase is attributed to the implementation of spill-reporting legislation and better awareness of spill-reporting requirements. The sudden increase in 1988 is also a result of the implementation of a more advanced reporting system by the Province of Ontario.
• The majority of reported spills are less than one tonne.
• Large peaks in total tonnes spilled during a given year are usually attributed to one or more large-scale incidents involving the release of extremely large quantities (usually sewage or effluent spills).
• The highest number of reported spill incidents occurs in the Province of Ontario. This can be attributed to the industry concentration, the volume of transportation of hazardous substances and a good reporting system.
• The months with the largest numbers of reported incidents are the summer months of June, July and August.
• Business, more specifically industry, incurs the greatest number of spills. This is primarily a result of the volume of product being handled, stored and used by this sector, compared with the other sectors examined.

2.1.1 Number of Reported Spills by Year

The number of spills reported has more than doubled during the period 1984-1995 (Fig. 2.1.1). In 1988, there is a substantial jump in the number of reported spills. This increase can, in large part, be attributed to the implementation of Ontario's provincial spill-reporting requirements. The general increase in the number of spills reported can be attributed to better spill reporting —largely a result of more stringent reporting requirements put in place by provincial and federal agencies. From 1988 to 1995, the number of spills reported remains relatively constant with a median of 9 133 spills per year and a range of 8 300 - 10 600 per year. In comparison, there was a median of 2 181 spills reported during the 1974-1983 period in the previous trends report (Environment Canada, 1987). Spill reporting has become a standard function for organizations handling hazardous substances. It appears that the annual spill numbers are leveling off, with minor fluctuations.

2.1.2 Total Quantity of Reported Spills by Year

Significant increases in the total quantity spilled annually appear to have occurred in the years 1987, 1992, 1993 and 1995 (Fig. 2.1.2). Further analysis reveals that several large sewage spills were reported during these years. If these sewage spills are excluded and an average is taken for all years analyzed, the average amount spilled by year is 413 000 tonnes. This average value is consistent with the reported quantities spilled by year.

Note: The spill quantity is the weight of the total discharged product and not the weight of the contaminant. In Canada, the majority of large spills consist of effluent, sewage and mine tailings (see Section 2.9)

2.1.3 Number of Reported Spills by Province and Territory

The number of reported spills by province and territory shows large differences, making it appear as though some provinces experience more spills than others (Fig. 2.1.3). However, these numbers are a reflection of the number of spills reported rather than the actual incidents. For example, the chart shows a great difference in incident numbers between Ontario and Quebec. With similar rates of reporting, the expected result is that Quebec would have only marginally lower numbers of incidents than Ontario. This assumption is based on the size of industry and transportation sectors in the Province of Quebec.

The large volumes of hazardous materials produced and handled explain why Ontario and Alberta show the largest number of reported spills. Alberta has a large petroleum industry, handling and transporting large volumes of product, resulting in more frequent spills. Ontario has a large number of spill incidents due to a large and diversified industrial base and a high volume of transportation of hazardous materials. Good data capture by multiple organizations in these two provinces is also a factor.

2.1.4 Reported Spills by Month and Season

The summer months of June through August show the greatest number of reported incidents (29% of total events). This could be attributed to an increase in transportation activities during these months.

2.1.5 Reported Spills by Broad Sectors

Figure 2.1.5 indicates that the business sector reports the greatest number of incidents. This sector includes manufacturing, handling and transportation of hazardous materials, as well as their on-site use and storage. It should be noted that the business sector is generally very diligent in reporting spills. Public relations and profile in the community are key concerns for industry. Private citizens tend to spill frequently in smaller volumes but may not report because they are unaware of reporting requirements or concerned about possible enforcement action. Government (including all federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments as well as government-owned facilities) accounts for 17% of all reported spills.

The 'other/unknown' category accounts for one percent of spills. In some cases, the details surrounding the incident may not be known at the time of the initial spill report. If little or no follow-up is carried out to amend the original report, or the information is not known the spill is accounted for under 'other/unknown'.

Note: The government sector includes spills occurring on the property of or from holdings managed by federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments. The facilities of interest in this category include military bases, large laboratories, research facilities, airports, reserves, ports, marine vessels and all other holdings managed by the federal and other governments.

2.1.6 Distribution of Spills by Quantity and by Year

Spills account for a significant amount of hazardous material released to the environment (Table 2.1.6). The environmental impact of a spill may be more dependent upon the receiving environment than on the volume of material spilled. Depending on the substance, it may be possible for a land spill to be cleaned up immediately, resulting in negligible environmental damage; whereas a spill to a waterway may not permit an immediate or full recovery of the material and may therefore cause significant environmental damage (Section 2.6).

The majority of reported spills are in quantities of less than one tonne (Fig. 2.1.6a). Comparison of two six-year periods, 1984-1989 and 1990-1995, indicates an increase of 69% in the number of reported spills of less than one tonne. This is likely a reflection of increased reporting, as a larger number of small spills are being reported. Nevertheless, these small spills can have cumulative effects on the environment and on humans. Focus on prevention efforts in this area is warranted.

The quantity spilled is often unknown when an incident is first reported. The 'unknown' category for spill size represents a significant number of spills (32%) and increases substantially over the study period. More accurate data reporting would allow for greater focus in prevention efforts.

There are 11% fewer reported spills in the 1-10 tonne category for the 1990-1995 period than for the six preceding years (Fig. 2.1.6b). The number of spills of this size appears to decrease over the last four years. The 10-100 tonne category decreases 20% for the years 1990-1995, compared with the 1984-1989 period. This is good news as spills of this magnitude can have a significant impact on the environment.

In the >100 tonne category, there has been a gradual increase in the number of spills exceeding 100 tonnes since 1984. Examination of the two six-year periods indicates an increase of 59% in the number of reported spills >100 tonnes. Sewage spills account for 842 (65%) of the total 1 295 spills in this category. If sewage is removed from the >100 tonne category (data not shown), there is still a 17% increase in these large spills in the latter six-year period (1990-1995).