NOVA Chemicals Corporation has been fined $150,000 for waiting nearly two hours to report a 2024 spill to the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.
The provincial ministry recently posted details of the June conviction to its website.
"The conviction is for having control of a pollutant that was spilled, namely benzene, and failing to notify the ministry of the spill," read the court bulletin.
The company was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of $37,500.
According to the report, approximately 1,475 litres of process material, primarily consisting of benzene, was discharged at the Petrolia Line facility on January 20, 2024.
The ministry said benzene, in both vapour and liquid states, leaked out of the gearbox vent of a pump due to a failed seal within the pump assembly.
"Liquid benzene pooled on the ground near the pump where it was reported to have become fully frozen. NOVA’s remediation efforts were reported to have eliminated all vapour released from the pool shortly after the spill," stated the court bulletin.
The public was notified about a hydrocarbon release through the public alert system.
However, the court bulletin said NOVA did not notify the ministry right away, despite being directed to do so by ministry staff.
It was noted that NOVA did cooperate throughout the investigation.
No adverse health impacts were reported.
