City officials say PCBs have been leaking into Hamilton Harbour for 20 years

[projekktor id=’21788′]

City officials say PCBS have been leaking into the Hamilton Harbour for 20 years now, but the issue was only brought to their attention by the Ministry of the Environment this week.

While tests done by the City of Hamilton in the past had shown signs of PCB, it’s not until the Ministry of the Environment figured out the source of the problem and issued an order to several property owners in Hamilton to find and stop the toxic PCB’s from leaking into the Harbour.

The site of the cleanup is in the Strathearne Avenue and Barton Street area. The ministry is ordering for the source of the problem to be capped and cleaned to stop the transfer of PCBs into old sewer pipes which drain into the harbour during storms. The ministry has been aware of contamination on the properties since the mid-1990’s.

The order would require the current property owners, including Union Gas and Coca-Cola, to work on a plan to stop further chemicals from leaching offsite. High exposure to PCBs is linked to cancer and other health problems.

Councillor Sam Merulla, whose ward the cleanup site is located in, says there’s absolutely no health concerns for the public.