Canadian officials are pointing the finger at a Fredericton electroplating shop as the source of a 237-gallon chemical spill along a 9-mile stretch of roadway, including hexavalent chromium, that could lead to a $1 million fine.
Officials say a comprehensive investigation led by Canada’s Government of New Brunswick Department of Environment and Local Government into the chemical spill that took place in Fredericton is continuing.
New Brunswick officials say XL Plating and Machining of Fredericton has been identified as the responsible party. After the investigation concludes, the agency says, the respective parties “will evaluate appropriate enforcement actions, which may include charges and fines.”
The spill, which involved about 900 litres of chemicals spread over 14 kilometres, occurred along the Vanier Highway and Trans-Canada Highway between Fredericton and Oromocto, as well as Vanier Industrial Drive. The provincial government says it has confirmed that the City of Fredericton’s drinking water system was not impacted, and local wells are also not expected to be affected.
“The initial phase of the cleanup, which involved removing the bulk of the material spilled on the roadway, has been completed, and an environmental consultant remains on site to assess and remediate impacts on the surrounding environment,” says Local Government Minister Aaron Kennedy, who has been acting on behalf of Environment and Climate Change Minister Gilles LePage this week. “We know people are concerned, and we are working diligently to ensure all safety and environmental precautions are taken.”
Fine Could be Between $1,000 and $1 Million
A bright yellow substance could be seen on roads in Fredericton's east end as late as Friday afternoon. (CBC)The Department of Environment and Local Government’s fine structure is similar under the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Clean Environment Act. In general, if the violator is an individual, the minimum fine is $500, and the maximum is $50,000. If the violator is a company, the minimum fine is $1,000 with a maximum fine of $1 million. The department’s investigation will determine the number of fines.
The spill was reported to the Department of Environment and Local Government on March 5, and samples were taken and sent for immediate testing. On March 6, the department received sampling results confirming the presence of sodium carbonate, sodium hydroxide, and hexavalent chromium.
“Hexavalent chromium can sound alarming, and I understand why,” says Dr. Rita Gad, regional medical officer of health. “While long-term exposure to this substance can increase certain cancer risks, brief or one‑time contact does not. In this situation, the chemical was dispersed over a long distance on the highway. These two samples were collected the morning after the spill, from where the heaviest visible spill occurred. These levels were expected to be elevated. I still assess the possibility of exposure as low.”
A separate soil sample collected from the highway shoulder contained petroleum hydrocarbons. Given the sample’s location and the lab’s observation of asphalt particles, this level is typical for roadside material and is not considered concerning.
Source materials, including impacted soils and water along the ditch, were removed for appropriate disposal as part of the remediation work.
“We understand there are many questions and a lot of unknowns,” Kennedy says. “A long-term plan to sample soil and drinking water in the affected area is being established, and if, through this process, we identify information that changes our understanding of the health risk, the public will be advised.”
