ESAA Environmental Summit
April 1-3, 2025
Kananaskis Mountain Lodge
The 2025 ESAA Environmental Summit (‘The Summit’) will feature all of the things you expect from an ESAA event: great talks, great location and
great networking.
The 2025 edition will take place at the Kananaskis Mountain Lodge. The completely modern getaway nestled amidst the pines and mountains. Room rates at the Lodge start at $255.00 + taxes.
The format will be a series of panel discussions over the two-days of the conference. Full event details can be found at: https://esaa.org/summit/
Registration is now OPEN. Early bird rates end January 24st – Register now at: https://esaa.org/summit/register/ ** Day passes are also available (limited quantity)
Sponsorship is now OPEN. See our Website for all Sponsorship opportunities https://esaa.org/summit/sponsors/
ESAA invites you to submit proposals for panel discussions to be held during The Summit.
Proposals for panels are encouraged in, but not limited to, the following areas:
- Risk Management
- Disaster Management
- The Future of Water
- Evolution of Energy in Alberta
- Climate Resiliency
- ESG and the Environment Sector
- Indigenous Engagement and Inclusion
- The Future of the Environment Industry Workforce
- Other topics will be considered
To propose a panel, please submit the following:
- The panel’s topics
- The panel’s overall goal
- A summary of each panelist’s topic/contribution to the panel discussion. Note: Each panel must have 3 speakers and one moderator.
- Panel should include a variety of presenters representing not just individuals from company submitting the proposal. Example: a panel ideally would include, a consultant, a supplier and a client with one of these possibly being replaced by a regulator.
- Limit the proposal to 750 words not including the speaker bios
- Deadline January 10th, 2025.
- Submit to ciezki@esaa.org
Note: The individual submitting the proposal and organizing the panel should act as the moderator and be comfortable with moderating a panel discussion. The moderators registration will be complimentary. Panelists will be required to register at a discounted rate.
ESAA truly appreciates your support of world-class events and looks forward to welcoming you to ‘The Summit’ at the amazing Kananaskis Mountain Lodge.
Regulator orders Alberta oilsands site to shut down following string of alleged infractions
(Source: CBC News) An oilsands operator in northern Alberta has been ordered to shut down due to repeated failures to meet its regulatory obligations.
The Alberta Energy Regulator has issued an order requiring Calgary-based Sunshine Oilsands Ltd. to suspend its wells, facilities and pipelines following a string of infractions dating back more than two years.
The order, issued Nov. 14, requires the operator to post a security deposit of more than $6.1 million, which represents 100 per cent of the company’s estimated inactive liability.
The order highlights a series of infractions related to the company’s West Ells facility, including broken turbines, leaking pipelines and containment units that were at risk of spilling over.
The SAGD (steam-assisted gravity drainage) oilsands facility is located in the northwestern stretches of the Athabasca oilsands, about 60 kilometres west of Fort McKay. It uses horizontal wells and injected steam to heat bitumen and bring it to the surface.
The $6.1-million deposit was deemed necessary by the regulator due to the company’s poor compliance history and ongoing “financial distress,” the AER said in a report detailing a string of infractions dating back more than two years.
The operator must also provide the regulator with a series of “reasonable care measures” it will adopt to improve the operation of its sites.
“The company has repeatedly failed to comply with regulatory requirements and address compliance issues in a timely manner,” the regulator said in a statement.
Sunshine Oilsands — an oilsands exploration, development and production company — must immediately report any hazards that present a risk to public safety or the environment, the regulator said.
“The AER has issued this order to ensure that the sites licensed to Sunshine Oilsands will not pose a risk to public safety or the environment,” the regulator said in an advisory.
“Failure to comply with this order may result in escalation of enforcement, which could include an abandonment order.”
CBC News is awaiting comment from Sunshine Oilsands. Federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault declined to comment.
Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean’s office issued a statement Tuesday that said the AER is responsible for taking steps when it sees that an energy company is failing to meet its requirements under the Responsible Energy Development Act.
“We want companies that are going to operate safely, follow regulations and be good partners, which is by far the vast majority of operators,” the statement said. “We are fully supportive of the AER’s efforts to enforce the regulations in place.”
Broken turbines, pipeline leaks
According to the order, turbines used to generate power on the site had fallen into disrepair.
One of them, known as the north turbine, was still being used, despite being “inoperable,” the regulator said. The turbine’s heat recovery system was broken.
Another turbine was also broken but the operator told the regulator that it would not be fixed due to the costs associated with the necessary repairs.
At the time when the order was issued by the AER, neither of the turbines had been fixed and the company continued to operate the broken north turbine.
Questionable containment
Some secondary containment sites were also of concern to inspectors. According to the order, piling boots being used to secure four tanks at the West Ells facility had fallen into disrepair.
Pile boots are specialized attachments used in the installation of piles, which act as the foundation for such tanks, especially in marshy and uneven landscapes.
The issue with the containment tanks was reported to the AER in May 2023. The company told the regulator in November of that year that the broken tanks would be taken out of service to mitigate the risks of a leak.
On Oct. 16 of this year, an AER inspector discovered that one of the faulty tanks had been put back into service without repair or any additional measures to contain a possible leak.
On the same day, an inspector discovered that steam was actively leaking from a pipeline, from three separate locations along the line.
According to the order, the inspector was told by a Sunshine operator that the company had been aware of the leaks since the week before.
Sunshine was issued a notice of non-compliance at the time for failing to immediately report the three separate releases.
The regulator also found the company had not investigated the releases as required and did not have adequate an adequate leak detection program in place.
A report from the AER details nearly 20 contraventions of Alberta’s Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act and the Water Act dating back to April 2022.
In nine of them, Sunshine blamed a lack of funds for the operational issues, which ranged from lack of environmental monitoring, missed audits, “out of control” calibration on equipment and delayed repairs to key on-site infrastructure.
The report also details nine outstanding operational issues discovered by provincial inspectors during field inspections.
The issues included a breached berm that had not been repaired since it was discovered in June 2022 when an inspector found that a pond had formed at the back of a pad. As of October, the pond was still present and no maintenance on the leaking containment pond had been done.
Other outstanding infractions include the company’s lack of oversight on its pipelines. The company told the regulator that it doesn’t have a leak-detection program. The regulator said it remains unclear how often the lines are patrolled for possible spills.
The AER report also details 17 wells that had been improperly abandoned by the operator, a lack of reporting, and mounting debts that left the operator struggling to meet the demands of its daily operation.
Mounting debts
Construction on the West Ells facility began in 2012. The AER found the operation has been struggling to meet its operational targets for years.
Sunshine is “highly financially distressed,” the regulator said.
Due in part to Sunshine’s failure to conduct maintenance and repairs required for normal operation, to pay for services required to satisfy regulatory conditions, and to “adequately fund expenses that are typical for normal operation,” the company has been unable to achieve its potential production, the AER said.
Instead of the estimated 5,000 barrels of oil per day it was expected to produce, the operation has instead averaged only 1,102 barrels per day over the past three years, and 971 per day in 2024.
According to the report, Sunshine has failed to pay off its debts to the AER for the orphan fund levy, and for a series of administration fees.
The company made a repayment plan but it was deficient and the operator’s total debts are now about $50,000 for the orphan fund and more than $70,000 for outstanding administration fees. As of September, Sunshine has municipal tax arrears of approximately $34.8 million, the regulator said.
“Sunshine does not have the capacity to meet its regulatory and liability obligations,” the regulator said, adding it “poses a risk to public safety and the environment.
For second year in a row, Alberta oil and gas companies spend more than required on cleanup
(Source: TodayVille.com) As a business owner, Ryan Smith values few things more than predictability when it comes to the oil and gas market and the demand for his company’s services.
That’s why knowing that next year in Alberta, the regulator requires at least $750 million worth of work cleaning up inactive oil and gas wells and other legacy energy infrastructure is tremendously helpful for the CEO of Calgary-based 360 Engineering & Environmental Consulting.
“Having a minimum spend in place for the province makes the market more predictable and consistent, which in turn helps our clients and our business plan for the future, which is a good thing,” says Smith, whose company has completed more than 5,000 site closure activities in Canada and internationally since 2015.
“Site closure has really emerged as a growth market over the last decade, especially in Western Canada where the regulatory systems for oil and gas are more advanced than anywhere else we are exposed to. It is an integral part of the energy lifecycle, and if it is done well it adds a lot of value to the industry.”
The Alberta Energy Regulator (AER) introduced an industry-wide minimum “closure” spending requirement in 2022, part of Alberta’s Inventory Reduction Program to accelerate the remediation of inactive oil and gas wells, facilities and pipelines across the province.
The mandatory quota determines the minimum level of work a company must conduct primarily to decommission and reclaim a proportion of its inactive inventory.
Inactive wells are defined as those that have not been used for six months or a year, depending on what they are being used for. When a company decides that they will not reactivate an inactive well they decommission it through a process called abandonment.
A well is considered successfully abandoned after it is cleaned, plugged with cement, cut to a minimum of one meter below the surface and covered with a vented cap. After abandonment comes remediation and reclamation, where the land around the well is returned to the equivalent of its original state.
The first two years under the new rules saw Alberta’s energy industry significantly exceed the minimum closure requirements.
In 2022, companies spent more than $696 million, about 65 per cent more than the initial threshold of $422 million. The AER increased the minimum spend to $700 million in 2023, which producers surpassed by 22 per cent with total expenditures of $923 million.
The 2024 minimum remains at $700 million, while in July the regulator announced that the minimum spend for 2025 was raised to $750 million.
This closure work does not include remediation of oil sands mining sites, which is handled under the Mine Financial Security Program, nor does it include the closure of orphan wells (wells without a legal owner) managed by the industry-funded Orphan Well Association.
Gurpreet Lail, CEO of Enserva, an industry association representing energy service companies, suppliers and manufacturers, says there was an initial rush of closure work when the quotas were first put in place, but activity has since become more even as companies develop long-term closure plans.
“A lot of the low-lying fruit has been taken care of, so now companies are working on more complex closure files that take more time and more money,” Lail says.
Facility owners say that Alberta’s rules provide direction for planning closure and remediation work, which in the past may have been put on hold due to the ups and downs of the oil and gas market.
“When commodity prices are up, everyone is focused on drilling more wells and when prices are down, budgets are strained for doing work that doesn’t bring in revenue. Having a minimum spend makes sure closure work happens every year and ensures there is longer-term progress,” says Deborah Borthwick, asset retirement coordinator for Birchcliff Energy, an oil and natural gas producer focused in Alberta.
Over the last few years, Birchcliff has budgeted more than $3 million for annual facility closure work, far above its required minimum spend.
The company completed 11 well abandonments and decommissioned 23 facilities and pipelines in 2022, according to its latest environmental, social and governance report.
Borthwick says having the closure quota for 2025 already set has allowed it to plan ahead and line up the necessary service companies well in advance for next year’s remediation work.
Central Alberta reservoir study underway
Alberta’s government is moving forward a study to assess the feasibility of building a new reservoir on the Red Deer River to help support growing communities.
Demand for water from communities and businesses is increasing as more families, businesses and industries choose to live and work in central Alberta. The Red Deer River supplies water to hundreds of thousands of Albertans across the region and expanding water storage capacity could help reduce the risk of future droughts and meet the growing water demands.
Alberta’s government has now begun assessing the feasibility of building a potential new reservoir east of Red Deer near Ardley. A two-phase, multi-year study will explore the costs and value of constructing and operating the reservoir, and its impact on downstream communities, farmers and ranchers, and businesses.
“Central Alberta is a growing and thriving, and we are ensuring that it has the water it needs. This study will help us determine if an Ardley reservoir is effective and how it can be built and operated successfully to help us manage and maximize water storage for years to come.”
Reservoirs play a vital role in irrigation, drought management, water security and flood protection. Budget 2024 allocated $4.5 million to explore creating a new reservoir on the Red Deer River, at a damsite about 40 kilometres east of the City of Red Deer.
Work will begin on the scoping phase of the study as soon as possible. This will include reviewing available geotechnical and hydrotechnical information and exploring conceptual dam options. The scoping phase also includes meetings with municipalities and water users in the area to hear their views. This work is expected to be completed by December 2025.
“Reliable water infrastructure is essential for Alberta’s growing communities and industries. The Ardley reservoir feasibility study is a vital step toward ensuring long-term water security for central Alberta. As we assess this project’s potential, we’re supporting the sustainability of our economic corridors, agricultural operations and rural economy.”
“Water is essential to the agriculture industry and if the past few years are any indication, we need to prepare for dry conditions. A potential dam near Ardley could enhance water security and help farmers and ranchers continue to thrive in Alberta’s unpredictable conditions.”
Once that is complete, the feasibility study will then shift into a second phase, looking more closely at whether an effective new dam near Ardley can be safely designed and constructed, and the impact it may have on communities and the environment. Geotechnical and hydrotechnical investigations, cost-benefit analyses and an assessment of environmental and regulatory requirements will occur. The feasibility phase will also include gathering feedback directly from Albertans through public engagement. This work is expected to be completed by March 31, 2026.
Quick facts
- The Ardley dam scoping and feasibility study will be undertaken by Hatch Ltd., a Canadian multi-disciplinary professional services firm.
- Once the feasibility study is complete, government will assess the results and determine whether to pursue this project and proceed with detailed engineering and design work and regulatory approvals.
- Alberta’s government owns and operates several large reservoirs in the South Saskatchewan River Basin that help ensure sufficient water supply to meet demand from communities, irrigators and businesses, while also maintaining a healthy aquatic environment.
- Water stored at Gleniffer Lake, the reservoir created by Dickson Dam, helps supplement low winter flows along the Red Deer River and helps ensure an adequate water supply for Red Deer and Drumheller.
Alberta: Guilty plea for environmental charges
Scott Alvin Sproule has pleaded guilty for contravening the Water Act.
On Nov. 13, 2024, Sproule pleaded guilty to one count under the Water Act for conducting work in a water body without an approval. Sproule was sentenced to a fine of $7,000 inclusive of victim fine surcharge. All remaining charges were withdrawn.
Sproule owns land located in Wheatland County that is used primarily for agricultural and livestock purposes. There is a temporary stream running northwest to southeast through the property. These are important headwater streams that help sustain groundwater and support various aquatic ecosystems and the resiliency of wetlands.
Beginning in September 2020, Sproule hired a contractor to enhance the stream channel by digging in the water body and removing four to eight feet of topsoil from the channel using excavators. In addition, Sproule installed three one-metre diameter culverts for road crossings over the water body, which blocked the natural flow of a temporary or seasonal stream so that the surface runoff was not able to flow through the property unless the water levels were very high.
During this construction activity, a groundwater spring was struck which resulted in pooling water. These activities are prohibited under the Water Act without approval or authorization. Sproule did not obtain an approval or authorization and the activity was not otherwise authorized by the act.
The construction altered the flow of water to an adjacent parcel of land, and created ponded areas on the property that may lead to increase evaporation loss from the water body.
Alberta is committed to the protection of environment, providing regulatory assurance and ensuring environmental compliance. All Water Act approval applications undergo a robust regulatory review before they can be authorized to proceed.
AER: New Edition of Directive 083
Today, we released a new edition of Directive 083: Hydraulic Fracturing – Subsurface Integrity.
This edition of Directive 083 includes the following changes:
- Section 3.4 update: enhanced clarity regarding the notification and engagement process between subject well licensees and at-risk well licensees.
- Administrative improvements: additional information and minor revisions have been included to improve clarity.
In addition, Frequently Asked Questions, Directive 083: Hydraulic Fracturing – Subsurface Integrity, October 2023 (FAQ), has been removed from the landing page. Relevant information from the FAQ has been included in this edition of Directive 083.
The revised edition of Directive 083 is available on our website at www.aer.ca. If you have any questions, contact our Customer Contact Centre by phone at 1-855-297-8311 or by email at inquiries@aer.ca.
ArcelorMittal Exploitation Minière Canada s.e.n.c. ordered to pay $100,000 for obstructing enforcement officers
Canadians know the value of a healthy and safe environment. Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers strive to ensure that businesses and the public comply with the laws and regulations designed to protect Canada’s natural environment.
On November 18, 2024, ArcelorMittal Exploitation Minière Canada s.e.n.c. was convicted by the Court of Québec to pay a fine of $100,000, after pleading guilty to one count of violating the Fisheries Act. The conviction follows events that occurred between June and September 2022, when the company obstructed Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers. The fine will be directed to the Receiver General for Canada.
From June 14 to 17, 2022, enforcement officers inspected the site of the Mont-Wright mining complex located in Fermont, Quebec. During the inspection, officers asked ArcelorMittal Exploitation Minière Canada s.e.n.c. to provide documents to verify compliance with the Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations and the Fisheries Act.
Between June 14, 2022, and September 27, 2022, enforcement officers followed up to obtain the documents requested during the inspection. On September 27, 2022, the company replied that it would not provide some of these documents. In so doing, the company obstructed Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers in the performance of their duties, thereby contravening section 62 of the Fisheries Act.
In addition to the fine, the Court ordered ArcelorMittal Exploitation Minière Canada s.e.n.c. to submit the documents it had refused to provide to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
As a result of this conviction, the company’s name will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry. The Registry contains information on convictions of corporations registered for offences committed under certain federal environmental laws.
Burned forests in Jasper National Park showing signs of life ahead of winter freeze
Burned areas look barer, with the remains of charred branchless tree trunks.
There are signs of new life under the thin layer of snow now on the ground, but winter’s deep freeze will soon slow down any regrowth.
“The landscape, although really fragile, was greening up pretty quickly, which was kind of encouraging — a sign that there is still a seed base on the ground for things to happen,” said Marcia DeWandel, a Parks Canada vegetation restoration specialist.
The monster fire, the largest recorded in the park in over a century, is estimated to have burned more than 32,000 hectares.
Flames ignited early in the season, DeWandel said, so “we had a lot of our grasses, and our early succession and fire-adapted plants, come back right away.”
But it will take much longer for lost tree cover to be restored, she said.
Some trees and their roots were damaged so severely they will not grow back, she said, but others with sprawling root systems have a chance to regrow naturally.
“The tree will grow again from those little roots underneath the ground, as long as the fire didn’t go that deep,” DeWandel said. “This forest will change completely.
“Those fire-adapted species, like aspen and different willows and forbs [herbs other than grass] and grasses — they will come back first.”
Parks Canada planted 5,000 Douglas fir seedlings in fire-damaged areas in Jasper National Park to supplement natural forest regrowth over the past two months.
The tree species was chosen because of its adaptations, like thick bark and deep root systems, which make it better suited to withstand future wildfires. Over the next several years, Parks Canada also plans to plant aspen and willow trees.
The roots from the new trees will better hold fire-weakened soil together, helping prevent erosion, DeWandel said. Eroding soil is of particular concern near lakes and rivers, as sediment getting into the water can harm underwater ecosystems.
Tree planting efforts focused on areas near water and popular hiking and camping locations, because invasive plants could take over parts of the landscape, DeWandel said.
“With people moving on the landscape, they bring with them invasive species,” she said. “The wind also contributes to that, blowing the seeds around.”
Invasive alien species (IAS) are insects, plants, animals and fungi that were introduced to areas outside of their natural range. They can be carried on people’s shoes and gear by accident, according to Parks Canada.
Parks Canada officials say invasive species are the second-largest threat to biodiversity in the world, next to habitat loss. Getting trees in the ground before they get a foothold can help protect threatened ecosystems and wildlife.
Wild animals in Jasper National Park will have a harder time finding food this winter because of the reduced tree canopy, said James McCormick, a Parks Canada resource management officer.
Less tree cover allows more sun to hit the ground, which could be a good thing for animals who eat certain foods, like wild berries, McCormick said.
“Berry production is influenced by the amount of canopy. The more sun it gets, the more berries will get produced,” he said.
“Once the berries do start coming back in that burnt forest, we expect to get really higher crops than we have [had], historically, when the forest was present there.”
But fewer tree branches are blocking the ground, so snow, instead of piling up on tree branches, will hit the forest floor and bury any food that is growing back.
Bare forests also make it difficult for some animals to hide while hunting prey, McCormick said, and makes it more difficult for animals lower down on the food chain to hide from predators.
Due to food scarcity and safety, many animals are expected to move to unburned forest areas, which presents other challenges, he said.
“They may search out different areas than they normally would. It may increase the density of animals in certain areas, which may provide competition within the species itself,” said McCormick.
Although burned areas may not look like a traditional forest now, the landscape is supporting all kinds of biodiversity, said Ellen Macdonald, a retired forest ecology professor at the University of Alberta.
“It’s now a young forest. It’s going to be developing. There’s lots of other stuff there other than the trees,” she said.
As for when we could see charred sections looking like they once did, Macdonald said it could take decades.
“It’s going to take 40, 50 years to get to what we would really think of as big trees and full-grown trees,” she said.
“The kind of trees that were there before the fire, that’s going to be 100 years or more.”
Tests show high level of ‘forever chemicals’ in Montreal firefighter bunker gear
(Source: CBC News) Safety equipment meant to shield firefighters from danger may be increasing their risk of cancer and premature death.
Tests conducted at Université de Montréal‘s environmental chemistry laboratory for Radio-Canada’s Enquête revealed high levels of PFAS in the textiles that make up a firefighter’s bunker gear, the clothing they wear when they respond to calls.
The bunker gear protects firefighters from flames, heat and chemical spills. It is made up of three different layers. All three, including the one in direct contact with firefighters’ skin, were found to be imbued with PFAS.
Also known as “forever chemicals,” PFAS are a group of chemicals associated with an increased risk of developing certain cancers and liver damage, as well as negatively impacting the immune system. They persist in the environment and the human body.
“We are talking about textiles with very, very, very high levels of PFAS exposure,” said Sébastien Sauvé, a chemistry professor at the university.
He said the level of PFAS detected in the bunker gear was equivalent to toxic waste.
“We think of this equipment as something that protects us when we go fight fires,” said Chris Ross, president of the Montreal Firefighters Association.
But he wonders if that gear contributes to cancer cases among union members.
While some North American cities are moving to replace gear containing PFAS, Montreal has not yet made that commitment.
According to recent data published by the Montreal Firefighters Association, 77 Montreal firefighters have died from work-related cancer in the past 15 years, while three have died in action.
Montreal firefighter deaths account for 90 per cent of all firefighter deaths from occupational diseases in Quebec.
And firefighters are about 10 per cent more likely than the general population to be diagnosed with cancer, according to Health Canada.
The province is expected to add six more cancers to the list used by the CNESST, Quebec’s workplace health and safety board. Leukemia, brain, testicular, esophageal, colorectal and breast cancer will be added, so firefighters diagnosed with those illnesses no longer need to prove the disease was work-related.
The chemical cocktails that are emitted when modern homes burn, as well as foams used to extinguish fires, were long seen as the biggest hazards to firefighters.
But firefighters increasingly worry that PFAS, which make firefighting gear more resistant to abrasion, heat and moisture, could also be hurting them.
“We trust the industry and those who set the standards,” said Ed Kelly, who heads the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) which represents 350,000 firefighters in North America, including those in Montreal.
“In this case, it turned out to be false.”
Quebec now recognizes 15 cancers as potential occupational hazards for firefighters including leukemia, brain, testicular, esophageal, colorectal and breast cancer, after years of lobbying by firefighters’ unions.
But the IAFF also wants legislators in North America to ban perfluorinated substances in their protective equipment.
“That’s not a risk that we took when we took our oath to be firefighters. That’s unacceptable,” Kelly said, calling it the “fight of our generation.”
Enquête obtained a recently decommissioned coat and pants manufactured in 2012 and 2013, respectively, as well as another pair of pants made in 2000 and had them tested in Sauvé’s lab. All items were used by Montreal firefighters.
Firefighting gear is typically decommissioned after eight to 10 years.
Tests revealed all three pieces of clothing contained high levels of PFAS with about 30 different types of the molecule detected, some of which were banned by the federal government years ago.
The standard issue work pants, which firefighters are required to wear at the station and are not designed to protect from fires, contained more than 500 parts per billion of PFAS.
The most contaminated part of the pants made in 2000 had over 38,000 parts per billion.
“That it’s so easy to extract so much PFAS from a firefighter’s gear means that there is a portion of those PFAS that are absorbed by our firefighters when they use the clothing,” said Sauvé, adding that studies show the chemicals are absorbed through the skin.
PFAS are widely used in everyday products like frying pans, waterproof clothing, food packaging and personal care products. They’ve become a significant source of contamination of water bodies and are found in municipal drinking water across much of North America.
“It’s in my training gear, it’s in my cycling shorts, it’s in my sports T-shirts,” said Martin Guilbault, who was a firefighter for 30 years and is now division chief at the Montreal fire department training centre.
“What is most important is the level I am exposed to through the gear versus what I wear every day.”
American studies have shown PFAS are widespread in firefighting gear south of the border. Previous studies have also found PFAS in waterproof clothing and athletic wear, but Sauvé said the levels his team found in the bunker gear are in a class of their own.
“They are mega champions in terms of PFAS concentrations,” Sauvé said.
After reviewing the test results, the Montreal fire department told Enquête that since 2022 it has been purchasing gear with only one of three layers containing PFAS and that it is monitoring market developments for the safest options.
But critics say the city could do more, such as providing firefighters with clothing better suited to interventions that don’t involve fires. Firefighters must currently put on their full gear when answering all calls, including when they are acting as medical first responders.
“For Montreal firefighters, it’s our all-purpose coat,” said Ross. “When it’s cold outside, we put on the firefighting gear. When it rains, we put on the firefighting gear. We go to refuel the truck, we put on the firefighting gear. We go grocery shopping, we put on the firefighting gear.”
Montreal’s 2,400 firefighters answered nearly 80,000 calls last year that posed no fire risk.
The presence of PFAS in bunker gear became widely known after Diane Cotter suspected that her husband’s prostate cancer was linked to the clothing he wore as a Boston-area firefighter.
Unable to get a clear answer from manufacturers about what chemicals were in the garments, Cotter turned to Graham Peaslee, a professor and leading expert in PFAS in consumer products at the University of Notre-Dame in Indiana.
“When I measured them, they were absolutely not just fluorinated, but highly fluorinated, some of the highest values I’d ever seen,” said Peaslee. “And the first thing we saw was the detector screaming with fluorine.”
Peaslee tested more than 40 firefighting outfits, from all over the United States.
His work also revealed that, with time and wear, PFAS migrate from one layer of fabric to another and accumulate in the dust of fire stations where the gear is stored.
As soon as the first scientific article on the presence of PFAS in bunker gear was published in 2020, the IAFF issued a safety advisory to alert its members and encouraged them to exercise caution.
Since then, a number of lawsuits were brought against manufacturers in the United States and PFAS-free fabrics have appeared on the market.
The body that sets industry standards predicts it will be possible to certify such garments next year. It intends to limit the total content of perfluorinated substances permitted in personal protective equipment.
Several major U.S. cities have begun to make the transition. In Canada, the cities of Sault Ste. Marie and Vancouver are gradually replacing firefighters’ outfits with PFAS-free equipment.
In Montreal, Ross, who was recently elected vice-president of the IAFF, intends to continue working with the city to ensure the safety of its members.
And he says firefighters will continue to serve their communities with the same dedication.
“Those who work as firefighters, they want to save lives,” Ross said. “They will continue to save lives even when they are aware of the danger. They’re going to think twice, but they’re going to put on their combat gear, and they’re going to go to the fire.”
Upcoming Events
RemTech 2024 Webinars
11:00 am – 1:00 pm (MST Time)
November 27th, December 4th, December 10th
Register Now
ESAA is pleased to offer a series of 3 webinars over the next few weeks. Each webinar will feature 4 different talks from RemTech 2024. The webinars will be offered over zoom and recorded for later watching. You can register for 1 day or all 3 days.
Webinar Series Sponsor:
Individual Webinar Sponsor:
Registration Details
- Members: $25 per Webinar
- Members: $60 for all 3 Webinars
- Non-Members: $35
- Non-Members: $75 for all 3 Webinar
Webinar 1: November 27th Agenda
11:00 am – 11:30 am | ‘Coal Power Wastewater: Selenium Challenge and A New Solution’ – Paul Newman, ECT2 |
11:30 am – 12:00 pm | ‘Answering the Challenges of Low Permeability Formations’ – Gord Guest, Geo Tactical Remediation |
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | ‘Case Study: Transition to Monitored Natural Attenuation After 30 Years of Pump and Treat at the Former Uniroyal Site in Edmonton, Alberta’ – Joe Ricker, WSP USA |
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm | ‘Targeted Remediation in Fractured Bedrock on a Remote Superfund Site using Electrical Hydrogeology’ – Kyle Spears, Aestus, LLC |
Webinar 2: December 4th Agenda
11:00 am – 11:30 am | ‘Utilization of Biogenic Hydrocarbon Assessments to Determine Extent of Petroleum Hydrocarbon Contamination’ – Brody Anderson, Bureau Veritas Laboratories |
11:30 am – 12:00 pm | ‘Evidence of organic carbon control over sulphate reduction in a saline shallow lake near a gas plant in Calgary, Alberta.’ – Francisco Castrillon Munoz, Summit Earth |
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | ‘Complex Bedrock Remediation Case Study: Addressing Dissolved Heavy Metals In-Situ Using Multiple Approaches’ – Bruce Tunnicliffe, VEI Contracting |
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm | ‘Paradigm Shift in Liability Management’ – George (Bud) Ivey, Ivey International |
Webinar 3: December 10th Agenda
11:00 am – 11:30 am | ‘Challenges of Responding to a Railcar Coal Spill in a Remote River’ – Lawrence Malizzi, CTEH, LLC |
11:30 am – 12:00 pm | ‘Hazardous Waste PCB Sediment Remediation, Port Hope, ON’ – Alicia Kruska, ECC |
12:00 pm – 12:30 pm | ‘Applied Machine-Learning Tools to Enhance PFAS Analytics and Support More Effective Site Management’ – Paul Hurst, WSP Canada |
12:30 pm – 1:00 pm | ‘Stringent isn’t always sustainable: Quantifying environmental and social metrics when applying salt guidelines’ – Eric Van Gaalen and Monique Wismer, Trace Associates |
Register Now
OH&S for the Asbestos Worker Training Course
The asbestos worker training is a comprehensive 2-day in-person course designed to equip workers with the knowledge and skills necessary to safely handle asbestos-related tasks. All individuals entering a restricted area due to an asbestos hazard in Alberta must successfully complete this approved course and receive a valid worker certificate.
Course Content
This course teaches students about the hazards associated with asbestos and how to safely conduct asbestos abatement work. It includes both theoretical and practical components.
General topics covered will include:
- Introduction to Asbestos and Asbestos-Containing Materials: Identifying and understanding different types of asbestos materials.
- Health Effects of Asbestos Exposure: Discussing the potential health risks.
- Review of Related Legislation: Overview of laws and regulations governing asbestos handling.
- Introduction to Respiratory Protection: Effective use and types of respiratory protection.
- Introduction to Asbestos Abatement Methods: Techniques for safe asbestos removal.
- Air Monitoring and Analysis: Methods for detecting and measuring asbestos in the air.
- Other Health and Safety Considerations: Additional safety practices related to asbestos abatement
Examination and Certification
At the end of the course, students are required to pass a written exam with at least an 80% score to successfully complete the course. Upon passing, students will be issued an original valid Asbestos Worker Card, which serves as their certification.
Full details at: https://nichols.ca/course-registration/
ESAA Job Board
Check out the new improved ESAA Job Board. Members can post ads for free.
Current Listings:
- Senior Environmental Planner -Stantec
- Site Investigation & Remediation (SIR) Team Lead -Stantec Consulting Services Inc.
- Environmental Risk Assessment & Technical Reporting – Arletta Environmental Consulting Corp
- Environmental Geoscientist – Terex Environmental Group Inc
- Environmental Project Manager – Arletta Environmental Consulting Corp
- Intermediate Report Reviewer – North Shore Environmental Consultants Inc.
- Environmental Technologist – 51026 – City of Edmonton