Nunavut experienced 191 hazardous spills in 2014

A fuel tank hangs off the side of a building in Iqaluit. The Government of Nunavut urges residents to get a free inspection for their tanks. (PHOTO BY DAVID MURPHY)

Oil spills can be a mess to clean up — and even worse if they’re not: here waste oil sits in a drainage ditch June 2013 near the site of a waste oil spill on the property of Kitnuna Corp. in the western Nunavut town of Cambridge Bay. (FILE PHOTO)

There were 191 recorded hazardous spills in Nunavut last year — liquids such as diesel, sewage, jet fuel and heating oil, amongst others, which leaked into Nunavut’s environment.

While not excusable, that number is about average for a year, according to the assistant deputy minister of environment, Steve Pinksen.

“Any contaminant going into the environment is a concern. But all spills get responded to,” Pinksen said.

The five-year count for hazardous material spills, according to Nunavut and the Northwest Territories Hazardous Materials Spill Database, is as follows:

• 2014: 191

• 2013: 171

• 2012: 212

• 2011: 180

• 2010: 185

In 2014, just over 160,000 litres of hazardous materials were spilled in Nunavut.

And 88 spills have already occurred this year, up to June 4.

The largest spill in 2014 was at a sewage lagoon in Hall Beach where 86,920 litres of untreated sewage spilled into the environment.

The runner-up is Resolute Bay where 14,000 litres of untreated sewage spilled into the environment, two kilometers north of the airport.

Whenever there’s a sewage spill, the Department of Health is called in for the clean up, Pinksen said, because pathogens in sewage can cause human diseases.

While crews do their best to remedy the situation, 100 per cent remediation is never guaranteed, Pinksen said.

“I don’t know that 100 per cent is even possible. Physically and logistically,” Pinksen said.

But “they’re not going to do a half-job on any of these. They want it cleaned up. And certainly because of the human health risk of raw sewage involved.”

When any spill happens, those responsible are legally required to report it to the 24-hour spill report hotline — 867-920-8130.

That means if your home heating fuel tank leaks — the most common of spills in the territory — you must call the hotline. Otherwise, it could cost you.

This is especially important as summer approaches, according to the GN.

“If water is allowed to accumulate in the drip leg, it will freeze and cause a crack in the pipe. As the weather warms and the water thaws, fuel will escape through this crack, causing a spill,” states an April Government of Nunavut news release.

Tanks that show signs of rust, or which are more than 10 years old, should be replaced, according to the GN.

When a resident doesn’t take responsibility for cleaning or reporting, or if they ignore calls from authorities when issued a clean up notice, that’s when fines are handed out.

Earlier this year, an Apex resident was ordered to pay $55,000 in clean up costs because of a home fuel leak.

That was the only fine handed out for a 2014 spill, Pinksen said. Fines are rare, he said.

But homeowners still face the burden of paying for spill clean ups.

“Quite often [clean ups] involve heavy equipment and things like that. So it can be a substantial clean-up cost,” Pinksen said.

“So that’s why we’re working towards preventive [measures] as opposed to response.”

The GN’s environment department offers free inspections for your average home fuel tanks.

The department conducted 364 inspections alone in the 2014-15 year.

Of course, it would be preferable if that number grew, Pinksen said

“We’d like to see it higher. We have limited environmental protection staff but we are always striving to do better for sure.”

Overall environmental law is improving — environmental awareness and standards are always increasing, Pinksen said.

“Certainly within Nunavut we are working to do the best job we can and certainly always working to improve the way we respond to environmental issues.”

Homeowners can find tips, and learn to recognize potential risks, in the Illustrated Homeowner’s Guide to Heating Oil Tanks.

For a free inspection of your fuel tank, call the department of environment at 867-975-7700.