North Harbour Contamination – How to Clean up?

Remedial Action Plan Public Advisory Committee Meeting - March 19, 2014 - Focus: options for cleanup of mercury contamination in Thunder Bay Harbour.
March 19, 2014, Lakehead University – Members of the Public Advisory Committee to the Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan, interested members of the public, media representatives and personnel from Environment Canada and the Ontario Ministry of the Environment listen to options for cleanup of mercury contamination in Thunder Bay Harbour. The presentation on cleanup options was made by Cole Engineering representative Mark Bassingthwaite. Click the photo for more pictures of the meeting. All photos by Lauren Stoot/infosuperior.com.

How should mercury contamination in the northeast portion of Thunder Bay Harbour be cleaned up? This was the only item on the agenda at the 7 p.m., March 19th meeting of the Public Advisory Committee (PAC) to the Thunder Bay Remedial Action Plan (RAP), or harbour cleanup plan. The meeting took place at Lakehead University and was attended by Public Advisory Committee members and many interested members of the public for a total of just over 50 people.

Key information:

  • the harbour location in question is adjacent to a former paper mill near Current River mouth and the Shipyards.
  • the area of highest contamination is in the water and is approximately 55 acres or 22 hectares in size
  • mercury is mixed with a thick layer of pulpy fiber suspended in harbour water
  • there is approximately 350,000 cubic metres of contaminated material.

Related documents and information:

If you are unable to attend the March 19th Remedial Action Plan Public Advisory Committee meeting at Lakehead University, EcoSuperior is hosting a public information session the next day, March 20, 2014 between 4:00-8:00 PM at the Prince Arthur Waterfront Hotel and Suites. Cole Engineering will be in attendance to present the results of their “Sediment Management Options Study.” This study outlines options for cleanup of mercury-contaminated sediment in the north portion of Thunder Bay Harbour. Click here for more information about this March 20th event.

 

 

 

 

Scroll to Top