Activities of Glencore are regularly singled out when the nickel standard is exceeded in Quebec. (Archive photo)
Louis Gagné (View profile)Louis Gagné
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A significant exceedance of the nickel standard was recorded on November 16 at the Vieux-Limoilou station in Quebec. The maximum concentration of this metal measured in the air that day was 0.171 nanograms per cubic meter of air (µg/m3), or about two and a half times the permitted limit of 0.070 µg/m3. p>
The Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP) published a press release on Thursday announcing that the most recent data graphs on the presence of nickel in the air in Limoilou were now available on its website.
This is the first time that the MELCCFP has communicated in this way the updating of data on the nickel. The report includes data up to December 14, 2023. Previous data dates back to mid-October.
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Glencore is the only operator at the port of Quebec to handle nickel. (Archive photo)
Of all the data added, only one exceedance of the daily standard of 0.070 µg/m3 was observed, specifies the MELCCFP, that of November 16. However, this is a notable exceedance.
The concentration of 0.171 µg/m3 recorded in mid-November is 2.44 times higher than the permitted daily limit of 0.070 µg/m3. This amounts to an overrun of around 144.28%.
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ELSE ON NEWS: Canada bears the mark of Brian Mulroney, the builder< p class="StyledBodyHtmlParagraph-sc-48221190-4 hnvfyV">This is the highest daily concentration of nickel recorded at the Vieux-Limoilou station since February 10, 2022, when it reached 281 µg/m3.
Remember that the new nickel standard, 0.070 µg/m3, which came into force on April 28, 2022, is five times more permissive than the old limit of 0.014 µg/m3.
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The vessel Arvik I, which is used for Glencore's nickel transshipment activities, was docked at the port of Quebec on November 16. (File photo)
The MELCCFP ensures that it is monitoring the situation closely in order to ensure compliance with the standards and regulations in force.
[The Ministry] is currently continuing to implement a reinforced and evolving control plan which provides for the use of specialized analysis methods and the implementation of inspection and testing techniques. #x27;cutting-edge investigation. This reinforced control plan involves, among other things, an increased presence of its inspection team at the port of Quebec and its surroundings, indicates the MELCCFP in its press release.
The activities of Glencore, the only operator of the port of Quebec to handle nickel, are regularly singled out when the daily standard is exceeded.
The Quebec Port Authority mentioned to Radio-Canada that the Arvik 1, the ship used by Glencore for its nickel transshipment activities, was docked from November 12 to 20.
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The nickel handled by Glencore comes from the Raglan mine, which it operates in Nunavik. The company has also just opened a new nickel mine which will allow it to extend its operations in the region by 20 years. (Archive photo)
Jean-Lesage's solidarity MP, Sol Zanetti, sees in this new excess of the nickel standard proof that Glencore has failed to make its processes more watertight.
He recalls that this was nevertheless one of the recommendations made by the Working Group on Atmospheric Contaminants (GTCA).
There, we see that these processes – there, obviously, are still very fragile, very fallible, because there was a significant overrun while there was a nickel ferry ship which was in port, points out the elected official from Quebec in solidarity in an interview with Radio-Canada.
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Sol Zanetti (photo) says that the Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, must ensure that the GTCA's recommendations are implemented. (File photo)
Mr. Zanetti believes that the Minister of the Environment, Benoit Charette, who commissioned the GTCA report, must ensure that its findings do not remain a dead letter.
I want to know what the Minister of the Environment has done to implement the GTCA recommendations at the Port. It seems that nothing has been done, deplores the member for Jean-Lesage.
The minister must implement the recommendations of the committee x27;experts who ordered it himself, insists Sol Zanetti. Otherwise, it would mean that this whole thing would have just been a strategy to save time and then appear to be doing something.
