Boaters, pet owners share worries about unidentified soot in East Hamilton

Residents in the City of Hamilton want an explanation for the black, oily material that’s been falling from the sky into their neighborhoods, including from local boaters and pet owners.

Wolf Skarzik says he’s used to black soot on his boat in the Hamilton Harbour, but he says it’s been progressively getting worse.

“For some reason over the last couple of weeks, it’s just gotten heavier and it gets right into the non-slip on the boat, and it’s just greasier, it’s harder,” said Skarzik. “You used to be able to wash it off fairly easily, now you’re down there scrubbing it.”

He’s not alone.

“Every week I’m hosing off my boat,” said boat owner Carolyn Best. “Thankfully we’ve had some rain, so it’s a little bit cleaner right now.”

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Residents say it falls from the sky from the steel mills.

CHCH News reached out to both Dofasco and Stelco for a comment, to which Stelco did send a statement.

In the statement it reads, “Stelco remains in full compliance with all regulations. Hamilton is an industrial area with several industrial sites, other than Stelco.”

Anna Beard says she found soot stuck to her dog Oliver’s paws.

“Yeah, it’s everywhere — all over the towels, it’s all over the deck, it’s on the bottom of our shoes and those were cleaned yesterday,” said Beard. “So it’s been pretty non-stop on his paws especially.”

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The Ministry of the Environment told CHCH News its Spills Action Centre has sent people to the area to conduct field operations and collect samples, but a source of the soot has not been determined, and the material has not yet been identified.

“We’ve requested a meeting with the Minister of Environment to talk about black soot and what’s happening right now, and we really just want to be able to deliver a plan to our constituents as to, you know, what’s going to be done about it,” said Dr. Robin Lennox, the Hamilton Center MPP. “We haven’t heard back yet — I am hopeful that we will. We certainly have a mass now, a number of constituent stories that, to me, are very concerning.”

Hamilton Ward 4 City Counc. Tammy Hwang says there is power in numbers, and that people should keep the pressure on the ministry.

“More voices on this is actually going to be helpful, because I’m only one voice on council,” said Hwang. “But when we have more people that actually talk about sharing pictures and personal accounts — file a complaint on the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks website, give them a call.”

CHCH News reached out to both the Ministry of Environment and to MPP for Hamilton East-Stoney Creek Neil Lumsden to see what more is being done.

Residents can file a complaint on the ministry website here.

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