OTTAWA — Feelings of hope and relief flooded Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia, Ont.
, on Friday after the federal government moved to enforce tougher air quality standards at a styrene plant that has been emitting dangerous levels of benzene for years.
The only plant to exceed that level is Ineos Styrolution, a styrene maker whose factory is across the street from the Aamjiwnaang band office. The order is similar to regulations that Ottawa is in the midst of implementing across the board for chemical pollution, but which are not expected to take effect until at least late next year.
Benzene pollution from the Ineos Sarnia facility has been a problem for years. The Ontario Environment Ministry has issued four orders to fix benzene levels since 2019, including the most recent compliance order made in April. Ineos, a German company, began a shutdown at its Sarnia styrene plant on April 20, four days after Aamjiwnaang saw a massive spike in benzene levels from air monitors in and around the band office. The levels on April 16 peaked at 115 micrograms per cubic metre of air, as measured by a Clean Air Sarnia and Area Monitoring Network air monitor near the band office.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer declared benzene to be carcinogenic, with sufficient evidence to link it to leukemias and lymphomas."Every person here is affected by the loss of somebody to leukemia or another form of cancer," O'Brien said.
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