News Release

Federal Government Intercepts Hazardous Waste in the Port of Vancouver

OTTAWA, December 20, 2006 - The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Environment Canada (EC) are working together to prevent the illegal exportation of hazardous waste and hazardous recyclable materials out of the Port of Vancouver. Since November 1, 2005, the CBSA/EC team conducted 50 inspections of marine containers destined for export outside of Canada. These inspections resulted in a large number of detentions.

Highlights of CBSA/EC's joint initiative:

• 50 containers filled with approximately 500,000 kg of metal and plastic scrap originating from across Canada were inspected and found to contain hazardous waste or hazardous recyclable materials destined for export to Hong Kong and/or China, allegedly in violation of federal regulations;
• The contents of several shipping containers included waste electrical equipment which contained polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs).PCBs are toxic to both the environment and human health;
• Thousands of computer monitors and other types of electronic waste (e-waste) were prevented from being exported to Hong Kong and China;
• CBSAassessed $50,801.00 in fines against 27 Canadian companies.

Companies and their officials, found guilty of contravening the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 under summary conviction, face a maximum fine of $300,000, or six months in prison for each count and under indictable conviction, a maximum fine of $1,000,000, or not more than three years in prison.

Related Document:

• Hazardous Waste in the Port of Vancouver [Backgrounder, 2006-12-20]

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