Company to begin removing benzene from Sarnia, Ont., petrochemical plant

Ineos Styrolution will start removing benzene from its Sarnia, Ont., plant this weekend, as part of a plan to bring the facility in line with tighter environmental regulations after Aamjiwnaang First Nation sounded the alarm over emissions of the cancer-causing chemical.

Jenelle Nahmabian says the petrochemical plant, which is next to Aamjiwnaang First Nation, has been a concern to her community for generations.

"[It's] environmental justice. That's what it comes down to," said Nahmabian, acting chair of Aamjiwnaang First Nation council.

The plant has been shut down since mid-April. Ineos decided to temporarily close the plant after air quality monitors showed heightened levels of benzene and members of Aamjiwnaang First Nation became sick.

Janelle Nahmabian, acting chair of Aamjiwnaang First Nation council, says the removal of benzene from the chemical plant is the first step towards environmental justice for her community. (Chris Ensing/CBC)

In May, the Ontario government revoked the plant's environmental compliance approval after elevated levels of benzene were detected in the area, forcing Ineos to remain closed. The company later said it would be shuttering its doors permanently.

The company will shortly begin moving benzene by ship to a plant outside of Canada as part of the first phase of the project.

Ineos said in an alert to the community that modelling confirms there is "no anticipated off-site impact above new regulatory/health-based limits during this phase of the plan."

The alert went on to say that while the activity "may result in increased emissions" removing the benzene is a requirement of both the provincial and federal environment ministries.

Aamjiwnaang First Nation is right across from the Ineos petrochemical plant and residents have reportedly become sick due to high benzene levels coming from the plant. (Chris Ensing/CBC)

While Aamjiwnaang council usually only shuts down its offices if benzene levels reach 27 micrograms per cubic metre of air, council closed the offices on Friday as a preventative measure.

If benzene concentrations from Ineos's fence line monitors exceed 75 per cent of the benzene limits during the move, a public notification will go out to residents via the Sarnia-Lambton Alert System, according to the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

Nahmabian, who has been regular meetings with the Ministry of Environment and Ineos, says part of the plant's second removal phase is causing her great concern, as it's possible benzene levels could rise to around 600 micrograms per cubic metre then.

"That would trigger an absolute evacuation for us here," said Nahmabian.

Aamjiwnaang First Nation, Ineos and the province are working together to try and limit the risk involved with the next phase, according to Nahmabian.

Nahmabian says council has weekly meetings with Ineos and she's grateful for what she says is increased communication between the company and her community.

"We need to co-create the path forward. … True environmental justice means working with Aamjiwnaang First Nation," said Nahmabian.

Heightened regulations will have economic impact

Benzene created at refineries in Sarnia-Lambton is transferred to Ineos by pipeline and stored in tanks that sit across the road from Aamjiwnaang's band offices and baseball diamonds. Ineos would then process the benzene into styrene, which is used in plastic parts for the medical and automotive industries. But new regulations bar Ineos from receiving or storing benzene.

Ineos has appealed the government's stronger regulations — saying the required changes to their facility can't be made safely and would cost $50 million to implement.

The plastics plant now says it will permanently shut its doors by June 2026, leaving its 80 employees without jobs.

Carrie McEachran is the CEO of Sarnia-Lambton's Chamber of Commerce. While she says the environmental regulations are in place for a reason, she wants all possible impacts to be considered when regulations are set.

"The concern is that decisions are being made and regulations are being changed without a full consultation and analysis of the entire system," said McEachran.

The Sarnia-Lambton area is a big producer of petrochemicals with many interconnected companies — and changes at the Ineos plant "will have a ripple effect on the entire industry," McEachran added.

Nahmabian says shutting down the petrochemical isn't her community's goal, but that public safety must be protected.

"Knowing the effects of certain chemicals, it's not only our concern … it affects Corunna, Froomfield, Sarnia and surrounding areas."