A Sarnia styrene plant on the centre of latest issues over benzene emissions will shut completely by June 2026, its homeowners say.
Printed Jun 11, 2024 • Final up to date Jun 11, 2024 • 5 minute learn
The Ineos Styrolution Sarnia web site on Tashmoo Avenue in Sarnia is proven right here. Photograph by Paul Morden /The Observer
Article content material
A Sarnia styrene plant on the centre of latest issues over benzene emissions will shut completely by June 2026, its homeowners say.
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
Article content material
Advisable Movies
Article content material
“This difficult business decision to permanently close our Sarnia site was made following a lengthy evaluation process and is based on the economics of the facility within a wider industry context,” Ineos Styrolution chief govt Steve Harrington mentioned in a launch.
“The long-term prospects for the Sarnia site,” which employs 80, plus contractors, “have worsened to the point that it is no longer an economically viable operating asset.”
The information shocked one band councillor at close by Aamjiwnaang First Nation, subsequent to Sarnia, which raised the alarm about benzene emissions in mid-April. He referred to as information of the plant’s demise “reassuring.”
Sarnia Mayor Mike Bradley, whereas lamenting the prospect of job losses, steered the corporate’s dealing with of the benzene concern “wasn’t respectful to the community and created more issues.”
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
On April 16, Aamjiwnaang referred to as for the close by Ineos Styrolution plant to be shut down after an air-quality monitoring station close to the band workplace recorded excessive benzene ranges and residents complained of complications, nausea and dizziness.
Ineos introduced April 20 it was quickly shutting down the plant “to perform maintenance and address a mechanical issue.”
The First Nation later declared an area state of emergency and on Could 1, Ontario’s Atmosphere Ministry mentioned it was suspending the corporate’s environmental compliance approval amid persevering with excessive benzene emissions, regardless of earlier provincial orders for corrective motion.
The suspension was to maintain the plant idle till Ineos met new provincial necessities.
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
Darren Henry, an Aamjiwnaang band councillor, mentioned Tuesday he was shocked by information of the deliberate closing, however added, “it is reassuring they’re going to move out and the benzene will be moving out with them.”
“No one ever likes to see job losses in the community,” Bradley added.
“I think (the company’s) whole approach once this incident happened wasn’t respectful to the community and created more issues,” he mentioned. “They brought the spotlight and the attention to themselves, which didn’t serve their employees’ interest.”
“The province said, ‘We have to do something,’ so they sent a clear message they were not going to tolerate them not respecting the environmental rules of Ontario,” Bradley mentioned.
“Unfortunately, 80 permanent well-paying jobs are going to be lost” together with work for “well-paid local contractors,” mentioned Sarnia Coun. Invoice Dennis, the lone vote towards a latest metropolis council movement to again Aamjiwnaang’s battle towards benzene emissions. “This is going to be a huge, huge hit on our local economy.”
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
“It was as much a surprise to us today as anybody,” mentioned Tom Rinker, president of Unifor Native 914, which represents 42 employees on the Ineos Sarnia web site.
“They haven’t actually officially given us notice,” he mentioned Tuesday. “There’s a lot of people that are just waking up from the night shift and reading it in the paper or hearing it on the radio.”
Some union members have labored on the web site for 25 to 30 years, some extra, some much less, Rinker mentioned. “Actually, I think they just hired a few a couple of weeks ago.”
“While Ineos has identified challenging economics in the global styrenics business, recent and unprecedented regulatory actions likely contributed to this outcome,” Bob Masterson, head of the Chemistry Trade Affiliation of Canada, mentioned in a press release.
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
“This is a disappointing outcome, for Ineos Styrolution, for its Sarnia employees and contractors, and for other facilities in the highly integrated Sarnia cluster” of power and chemical corporations, he mentioned.
Benzene is a byproduct of processes at a number of of these amenities and the Ineos plant “plays an important role in using benzene from other facilities in producing it own product, styrene monomer,” Masterson mentioned.
With Ineos closing, different amenities should discover different methods to take care of their byproduct benzene, he mentioned. “This includes, but will not be limited to, increased . . . shipments of benzene out of the Sarnia region by ship, rail or truck.”
The Sarnia cluster performs an necessary position locally and Ontario’s financial system, he added.
Commercial 7
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
“In the weeks and months to come, there will be an opportunity to reflect on the circumstances leading to today’s announcement and for all stakeholders, regulators and First Nations in the region to come together to create a prosperous and sustainable future for this important cluster,” he mentioned.
Advisable from Editorial
Sarnia plant ‘relentlessly focused’ by authorities benzene rule modifications: Ineos
Ontario imposes new benzene guidelines on Sarnia styrene plant
Ontario not too long ago imposed new benzene emission limits and monitoring necessities at Ineos Styrolution’s Sarnia plant in a regulation underneath the Environmental Safety Act.
The federal authorities additionally moved not too long ago to order Sarnia-area petrochemical crops to take steps to restrict benzene emissions.
Commercial 8
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
“Everyone deserves to live in a healthy and safe environment, including Indigenous Peoples whose communities are too often located downwind, downstream, and next to polluting industrial facilities,” Steven Guilbeault, Canada’s surroundings minister, mentioned in a press release Tuesday. “My thoughts are also with the affected workers.”
The federal ministry issued its order “to protect the health and safety of those communities directly impacted and to align with provincial action to ensure situations like this don’t happen again,” he mentioned. “To poison a community, that’s unacceptable.”
Ontario’s Atmosphere Ministry will “continue to prioritize health and safety as the company determines their next steps,” it mentioned in a press release.
Commercial 9
This commercial has not loaded but, however your article continues under.
Article content material
Ineos charged in a latest launch that its Sarnia plant has been focused by authorities regulatory modifications “without due process.”
“Our decision to permanently close the Sarnia site by June 2026 is irrespective of the current situation,” Harrington mentioned within the Tuesday launch.
“The economic reality is that we have made significant investments in the Sarnia site for many years to ensure safe and reliable operations,” he mentioned,. “Additional large investments . . . unrelated to the potential costs of restarting operations would be necessary in the near future. Such investments would be economically impractical given today’s challenging industry environment.”
The corporate it’s going to work intently “with all necessary partners to complete an orderly wind-down process and a permanent closure of the site in a safe, responsible and compliant manner.”
pmorden
Article content material
Share this text in your social community
