There is no immediate risk to the public, and no pollution got into the Fraser River from a Quesnel factory’s effluent spill.
The Ministry of Environment has conducted an initial investigation at the site of West Fraser Timber’s WestPine MDF (medium-density fibreboard) plant on Carradice Road. The situation is not a threat to health, they concluded.
“Northern Health, and the First Nations Health Authority have been notified, and thus far, they have not raised any concerns regarding public health impacts, particularly related to drinking water,” said a ministry spokesperson. “Currently, the ministry does not perceive an imminent or acute risk to the environment. West Fraser has taken steps to immediately contain the spill and stop the release. The ministry has directed West Fraser to sample and characterize the effluent for toxicity and to retain a qualified professional to assess long-term environmental impacts, including those possibly affecting the Fraser River. An Environmental Emergency Response Officer intends to attend the site this week to confirm appropriate actions are being undertaken by West Fraser.”
The incident happened on April 15, when, according to the ministry, “2.5-million litres of effluent spilled into a gravel pit when a valve was compromised causing a leak. No waterways are suspected to be impacted at this time.”
West Fraser spokesperson Joyce Wagenaar told The Observer that their “internal monitoring system detected a leak of process water, comprised of water softener backwash, on a line running from the WestPine MDF plant to Quesnel River Pulp, where it is processed. West Fraser reported the spill immediately to our regulator and undertook a cleanup effort which is now complete. West Fraser is committed to being responsible stewards of the environment and protecting the health and safety of our employees and the public.”
The ministry stressed that the liquid “is not intended for environmental discharge.” The spokesperson said, “Given the nature of the facility’s operations, it is expected that the effluent, predominantly comprised of water, may contain traces of resins, glues, ammonia, and wood particulates. While there is a possibility of trace amounts of methylene diphenyl diisocyanate or formaldehyde, West Fraser has indicated that formaldehyde is no longer utilized in operations at this facility.”
READ MORE: Effluent spill at WestPine plant in Quesnel
READ MORE: Quesnel company describes spilled effluent as a water softener backwash