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Imperial Oil Fined for Slop Oil Spill in Sarnia
Imperial Oil Ltd., one of Canada’s prominent oil companies, has been ordered to pay a penalty of $1.125 million due to a slop oil spill at its Sarnia, Ontario site in April 2021, which affected local residents’ health.
This fine, imposed by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, marks the largest penalty recorded under the Environmental Protection Act since 2007.
This action aligns with a broader initiative by both provincial and federal governments to hold petrochemical companies accountable for environmental pollution in the Sarnia area.
Sarnia, referred to as Chemical Valley, houses 62 major facilities within a 25-kilometre radius, leading to growing concerns among residents, especially members of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation located nearby. These community members have expressed fears that emissions from local industries are adversely impacting their health.
On April 15, 2021, a leak from a steam line, which had been ongoing for three months, created a breach in a slop oil line, releasing approximately 1,150 litres of slop oil onto the ground. The details of this incident were documented in a statement of facts presented in the Ontario Court of Justice in Sarnia.
Slop oil, a combination of crude oil, water, and waste materials, carries various toxins, including hydrogen sulfide. Its release into the environment can lead to symptoms such as eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, and dizziness.
At approximately 3:52 p.m. on the day of the incident, a local resident contacted the Ministry’s Spills Action Centre hotline to report a strong odor and subsequent headaches. Meanwhile, members of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation described a “terrible” smell reminiscent of “burnt rubber” on social media.
Court records reveal that around twelve individuals reported experiencing symptoms that generated concern for their health and restricted their daily activities, including irritation of the eyes, nose, and throat, as well as headaches and nausea.
Monitoring and Legal Consequences
Following the spill’s discovery, both Imperial Oil and the Ministry conducted air quality monitoring in the region. However, they did not find elevated concentrations of harmful substances such as hydrogen sulfide, benzene, or gas vapors.
Due to the spill’s consequences on the community, the Ministry charged Imperial under the Environmental Protection Act. On September 16, 2024, the company pleaded guilty, resulting in a fine of $900,000 along with a victim fine surcharge of $225,000, to be paid within 90 days. The maximum allowable fine for such corporate violations stands at $6 million for a first conviction and $10 million for subsequent offenses. Notably, Imperial Oil disclosed a net income of $4.9 billion for the full year of 2023, a decrease from $7.34 billion in 2022.
The collected fines will be allocated to Lambton County rather than the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, which the Ministry acknowledged as having been directly affected by the odor from the incident. Chief Janelle Nahmabin highlighted the lack of financial redress for her community, noting past instances in Canada where local municipalities collaborated with First Nations to share revenues from environmental penalties.
The victim surcharge will be directed to the Ontario Victims’ Justice Fund, aimed at supporting crime victims. Imperial Oil’s public affairs manager, Kristina Zimmer, expressed the company’s regret over the incident and noted that they have since enhanced their equipment maintenance protocols to reduce the chance of a similar occurrence.
In recent months, the Aamjiwnaang First Nation has faced elevated levels of benzene exposure from the neighboring plant, INEOS Styrolution, resulting in a state of emergency and evacuation orders. INEOS has announced plans to close its facility by June 2026, asserting that they did not violate emission limits set last spring.
Previously, in 2021, Imperial Oil was fined $647,909 for several sulfur dioxide leaks that occurred in the preceding years.
Health Concerns and Environmental Assessments
In light of the ongoing environmental issues, the Ontario government initiated a comprehensive health study in 2017 following public concerns about potential health impacts from industrial leaks and spills in the Sarnia area. The findings from the Sarnia Area Environmental Health Project, released earlier this year, indicated a heightened risk of cancer, particularly leukemia, associated with airborne pollutants. The report also highlighted concerns related to acid gas flaring, which can elevate sulfur dioxide levels and pose health risks for individuals with respiratory issues.
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globalnews.ca