Shell Canada fined on ’00 sulphide discharge

17 January 2003 22:21  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (CNI)--Shell Canada was fined for a March 2000 sulphide release at its refinery at the Sarnia, Ontario petrochemicals hub, Ontario’s Environment Ministry confirmed Friday.

In a statement the Ministry said that Shell and one of its contractors, Ceda-Reactors, pleaded guilty at a Sarnia court to discharging sulphides, disulphides and tri-sulphides and were fined Can$180 000 ($117 000/Euro111 500) and Can$80 000, respectively.

The discharge forced the evacuation of a nearby day-care centre, the Ministry said. Day-care staff and children reported headaches, dizziness, sore throats and nausea.

Shell had hired Ceda to neutralise caustic wastes at the refinery when the discharge occurred.

The maximum fine in this case could have been Can$1m, the Ministry had stated in an earlier release.

Shell’s Corunna refinery, south of Sarnia, is one of four refineries at Ontario’s integrated Sarnia petrochemicals and refining complex. The Corunna refinery produces, amongst other products, benzene, toluene and xylenes.

Shell Canada’s headquarter at Calgary, Alberta was not immediately available for additional comment Friday afternoon.

By: Stefan Baumgarten
+1 713 525 2653

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