Teck Trail Operations Assessed Penalty
By Contributor
Teck Metals Ltd. (Teck) has been assessed a penalty in relation to five charges under the Fisheries and Environmental Management Acts relating to incidents at Teck Trail Operations between November 2013 and February 2015. A portion of the penalty will be designated for local environmental conservation funds.
The charges relate to 13 accidental discharges that occurred between November 2013 and February 2015. These incidents resulted in discharge water with elevated levels of substances including copper, zinc, ammonia, chlorine and cadmium. Teck will pay a total penalty of $3.4 million, the majority of which will be designated to local conservation, restoration and protection of fish and fish habitat, and biodiversity enhancement in the lower Columbia region, including the Columbia and Kootenay river watersheds.
“Incidents of this kind are simply not acceptable. That is why we are working hard to improve our environmental safeguards,” said Thompson Hickey, General Manager, Trail Operations. “Following each incident, we conducted a thorough review and implemented specific corrective actions. We are also investing in additional measures that further enhance our operations and improve overall environmental performance.”
Reviews conducted following each incident confirmed there was no human health risk and no indication of long-term impact on fish or the environment.
In addition to specific preventative measures implemented following each occurrence, Trail Operations has implemented enhanced training and processes. Teck is also investing $8.1 million in improved environmental controls, including construction of an upstream outfall retention reservoir.
Over the last 20 years Teck has made significant investments to improve Trail’s environmental performance, resulting in emissions of metal to air and water being reduced by over 95%.
About Teck Metals Ltd.
Teck Metals Ltd. Trail Operations represents one of the world’s largest fully integrated zinc and lead smelting and refining complexes. Trail’s metallurgical operations also produce a variety of precious and specialty metals, chemicals and fertilizer products. Trail has a two-thirds interest in the Waneta hydroelectric dam as well as ownership of the related transmission system. The Waneta Dam provides clean and renewable power to the metallurgical operations.
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