Sludge Watch ==> Trenton Ontario: Domtar Plant Source of River Contamination

[Maureen Reilly]

River pollution traces to Domtar site

By Samantha Craggs The Intelligencer
Local News - Thursday, September 06, 2007 Updated @ 6:10:09 PM

Troubling levels of dioxins and furans in the mouth of the Trent River
have been traced back to Trenton's Domtar industrial mill site.

The site, which held a wood preserving plant until the late 1980s, is
the "primary source" of three contaminated underwater areas, each about
half a football field in size, said Wayne Herrick, regional program
co-ordinator with the Ministry of Environment in Kingston.

While the pulp and paper manufacturer has a system in place that catches
and treats surface water flowing from the site to the river, it spills
over during heavy rains, Herrick said. Water also bypasses the system
entirely, causing "ongoing" contamination, he said.

Domtar is working with the Ministry of Environment to stop the
contamination, Herrick said.


The company is conducting a hydrogeological study.

"It's excellent that we have co-operation from Domtar and we hope that
continues," he said.

Scientists have been up and down the Trent River searching for potential
pollution sources. While Domtar is not the sole problem, it is "the
primary source," Herrick said. North of the Domtar site, dioxins and
furans - found in nature in mild amounts - are stable, he said. But as
soon as it gets to the Domtar site, the levels increase "as much as 100
per cent."

Earlier studies show the contaminants do not harm local drinking water
for Belleville, Trenton and other communities drawing from the Bay of
Quinte, Herrick said.

Last year, a study showed the contaminated spots are not harmful to
human health, even for someone swimming in the area three times a day
for a lifetime. A new study released Wednesday shows the problem spots
do not harm fish either, he said.

Dioxins and furans settle as sediment. When the current pollution stops,
the spots will eventually be covered with clean sediment and nature will
take care of itself, Herrick said.

A study will begin this fall to test the impact the contamination has
had on the Bay of Quinte. The problem was first discovered during
routine Environment Canada testing in 2000. A steering committee was
struck and the federal, municipal and provincial governments got
involved.

The finding is "not really" a surprise, said Bill Arthur, Quinte West
CAO. He is happy to finally know the conclusion.

"Something you know is easier to deal with than something you don't," he
said.

The findings that the contaminants harm neither fish nor people are
comforting, he said.

"When you first hear about it, you think 'oh my God, what are we going
to do?'" he said. "This shows that it was not the concern we thought it
was."

The human and aquatic health reports are available at www.ene.gov.on.ca
by clicking on "publications" and then "water."

Representatives from Domtar could not be reached for comment Thursday.

scraggs at intelligencer.ca