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Port Colborne Studies

Inco Ltd. operated a base metal refinery from 1918 to 1984 in the City of Port Colborne. Emissions from this facility have resulted in soils covering a wide area north east of this facility with concentrations of nickel, copper and cobalt above the Ministry's soil remediation criteria. The remediation criteria is based upon potential impact to sensitive plant species. Inco is undertaking a community based risk assessment (CBRA) to address the remediation of this area. A Public Liaison Committee (PLC) has been formed for ongoing public consultation of the proposed Community Based Risk Assessment, and on November 30, 2000 the PLC public liaison committee endorsed the Scope of Work for the CBRA.

In 1997, the Ministry of the Environment and the Regional Niagara Public Health Department, conducted a health risk assessment to determine if exposure to elevated soil nickel, cobalt and copper concentrations in Port Colborne may result in the potential for adverse health effects. The report concluded that no adverse health effects are anticipated as a result of exposure to nickel, copper or cobalt in soils in the Port Colborne area. Furthermore, the review of population health data did not indicate any adverse health effects which may have resulted from environmental exposures.

Following the release of this 1997 health risk assessment the ministry undertook additional soil sampling studies in 1998 and 1999. These additional studies involved a more extensive sampling program resulting in a better understanding of the extent of soil metal contamination in the Port Colborne area. The 1998 and 1999 soil surveys did not find any more serious soil contamination than previous surveys therefore, the health risk study conclusions are applicable to the 1998 and 1999 soil investigations.

To address concerns about school childrens' potential exposures to these metals, environmental sampling and analysis were conducted on soils at area schools, commercial day cares and public beaches by the ministry in April, 2000. The studies show that the soils at these locations did not contain nickel, copper nor cobalt at concentrations that would pose a health risk.

In June of 2000, Ministry sampling of soils on Rodney Street - a neighbourhood adjacent to the former nickel refinery - found higher than expected levels of arsenic, copper, cobalt, lead and nickel in the surface soil and at lower depth. The Regional Niagara Public Health Department was advised of these results and on December 12, 2000 the Niagara Region Medical Officer of Health announced a proposed Health Study for the Rodney street area. Additional information on the proposed health study and advice for residents living in this area can be found at the Regional Niagara Public Health Department's web site located at: http://www.regional.niagara.on.ca/government/health/default.aspx

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Last Modified: Wednesday January 21 2004