Removal of benzene from Sarnia chemical plant underway

Article content

SARNIA — Ineos Styrolution says removal of benzene from its Sarnia chemical plant begun on Tuesday should be completed before Oct. 16.

The work is part of a plan developed with Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Ontario’s Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, and Environment, and Climate Change Canada, the company said in a statement.

The provincial ministry announced in May it was suspending Ineos’ environmental compliance approval amid continuing high benzene levels, despite previous provincial orders for corrective action after high benzene emissions.

Article content

Aamjiwnaang, surrounded by industrial sites in Sarnia’s Chemical Valley, raised the alarm April 16 amid air monitoring detecting high benzene readings and residents reporting headaches, dizziness and nausea.

In May, federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault ordered Sarnia-area petrochemical plants with recorded excess levels of benzene between March 1, 2023, and Feb. 29, 2024, to put in place vapour control measures on benzene storage tanks.

Ineos announced in June it would close the Sarnia plant, which employs 80, plus contractors, for economic reasons by June 2026. The site makes styrene out of benzene.

“Ineos Styrolution is fully committed to minimizing benzene emissions during the destocking process, with safety as our top priority,” this week’s company statement said.

But it added modelling carried out by the company suggests the destocking plan mandated by the provincial and federal ministries may result in benzene emissions exceeding recently lowered regulatory limits.

Ineos said the First Nation and the ministries have been notified of that possibility.

Article content

Article content

“We are fully committed to the safe and successful execution of the approved plan, working in close collaboration with our expert engineers, the City of Sarnia fire chief, local authorities, and provincial and federal agencies,” as well as leadership of the First Nation, the company said.

Aamjiwnaang said in a statement it will monitor emission levels during the process and that “any potential increase in benzene emissions is unacceptable.”

A plan developed with the First Nation will include both fixed and mobile monitoring with hourly measurements shared with Aamjiwnaang and others, Gary Wheeler, spokesperson for the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, said in an email.

“The monitoring plan will help support decision making and protect the local community,” he said.

Ministry staff will also meet daily with First Nation and Ineos staff.

Wheeler said the work is expected to remove benzene from one tank at the site but benzene will remain in a second tank which will be sealed.

Aamjiwnaang has recommended residents in some areas of the First Nation evacuate during the removal work and said it has booked rooms at local hotels for those who wish to use them. Also, band offices near Ineos will be closed through Friday and staff working from home, it said.

Article content

Ineos said its modelling indicates an increased potential for emissions exceeding the new hourly limit at the site between Wednesday and Sunday.

“Any elevated emissions are expected to be localized near the site boundary and are not expected to cause adverse effects to the local population,” it said.

In compliance with provincial regulations, the company will issue community notifications if emissions reach 75 per cent of the new limit, it said.

Ineos said destocking is a routine part of operations at industries in the Sarnia area.

“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause the Sarnia community and appreciate the understanding and patience shown throughout this necessary process,” the company said.

Ineos previously appealed provincial actions impacting its site to the Ontario Land Tribunal and, with the agreement of all parties, the appeal hearing was adjourned to mid-October for a status update, according to the First Nation.

The company said it initially proposed an alternative plan to keep the site closed, as it has been since April, to allow time to design, build and install advanced abatement technology to reduce emissions ahead of a planned spring destocking, but that proposal was rejected by Environment and Climate Change Canada.

With files from Tyler Kula

pmorden@postmedia.com

Article content