Chromium Spill Merritt
Last updated on May 12, 2023Disclaimer:
- Information provided is based on reports received by Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR).
- Information provided is considered to be current at the time of posting, but is subject to change
Incident description
| Incident Date | April 20, 2023 |
|---|---|
| Name | DGIR: 231530 |
| Source | Transport Truck |
| Nearest Community | Merritt, BC |
| Spilled Content | Chromic Acid |
| Who is involved | Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV), Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) |
Response phase details
The responsible person or spiller is legally required to clean-up or manage the clean-up of a spill.
In incidents where the responsible person is unknown, unable or unwilling to manage the cleanup, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy (ENV) may assume the role.
The updates below reflect the ministry’s oversight of the spillers’ actions. Details describe the spill response phase only and not the complete lifecycle of the spill. Visit the 'More information' page for other reports.
Updates are in reverse chronological order with the most recent at the top.
Industry-specific language may be explained in the Glossary of Terms (PDF, 106KB).
Most recent updates
May 12, 2023
On May 5th, an Environmental Emergency Response Officer (EERO) had a meeting near Merritt with the Responsible Party, an Environmental Consultant, and an Environmental Response Contractor. The Environmental Consultant and Environmental Response Contractor were both retained by the Responsible Party.
A plan of work was agreed to by all parties and the Environmental Response Contractor began working with the Responsible Party to remove chromic acid from the following locations:
- Approximately 40 meters of the bridge deck above Guichon Creek
- Approximately 30 meters of a crosswalk near an elementary school at the intersection of Highway 8 and Postell Street
- Approximately 20 meters of a road shoulder (culvert) by Steeples Creek
- A large puddle (approximately 3 square meters) from the intersection of Woodward Road and Highway 8 with no visible contaminants on the water surface
- The inbound scale deck to the Lower Nicola Eco-Depot
Soil and water samples were collected where spill contents were found, and laboratory results indicated chromium levels were below Health Canada drinking water guidelines. Soil samples from this incident are being analyzed and are to be shared with partner agencies including Interior Health, First Nations Health Authority, TNRD, Lower Nicola Water Improvement District, Lower Nicola Indian Band, Shackan Indian Band, and others involved in this response.
Further updates will be made once more information becomes available.
May 4, 2023
On April 28, 2023, the Thompson-Nicola Regional District (TNRD) reported a spill that occurred on April 20, 2023, at the TNRD facility. The spill contained an unknown product with high chromium levels. The unknown product was transported in a drum by the Responsible Party (RP) from their depot at Coyle Road to the TNRD waste facility along Highway 8. Evidence suggests that the unknown product was spilled during transportation and at the TNRD facility.
The RP retained a qualified professional who is creating a sampling and monitoring plan to assess impacts of the spill, and a plan to work with a response contractor to mitigate the spill impacts. The sampling and impact assessment to be undertaken by the Qualified Professional will determine if this incident could result in negative impacts to human health, aquatic life, or wildlife in the area.
A response officer will be onsite to monitor clean-up activities. The Environmental Emergency Program (EEP) Response Section will continue to update the public as the response progresses.