TIP Fleet Services and Wal-Mart are facing convictions following an environmental incident in Cobourg.
According to a report from the Ontario News Bulletin, TIP Fleet Services Canada Ltd. and Wal-Mart Canada Corp have been convicted for failing to manage a diesel fuel spill adequately and for not promptly notifying the Ministry of the Environment about the spill.
While TIP Fleet was parking a trailer in the loading dock of the Cobourg Wal-Mart Supercentre and was under the care and control of Wal-Mart at the time of the spill.
Around 8:42 AM, staff from the Cobourg Wal-Mart Supercentre contacted TIP Fleet regarding the incident. Subsequently, TIP Fleet dispatched a technician to the site for repairs.
The technician discovered a significant diesel fuel leak affecting the loading dock drain and reported his findings to TIP Fleet at approximately 10:49 AM, but Wal-Mart did not notify the ministry about the spill, assuming that TIP Fleet had already done so. TIP Fleet contacted the ministry’s Spills Action Centre at 4:44 PM on the same day.
It was determined that the diesel had leaked into a storm drain, affecting a downstream stormwater management pond. Approximately 113-thousand liters of diesel-fuel-impacted surface water were removed, along with 77-tonnes of diesel fuel-impacted soil. A ministry surface water scientist concluded that around 200 to 300 liters of diesel fuel had entered the pond, resulting in adverse effects, including the deaths of four ducks, one cormorant, and one muskrat.
The Ministry’s Environmental Investigations and Enforcement Branch conducted an investigation that led to the convictions.
TIP Fleet Services Canada Ltd. was convicted of one violation under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA), fined $35,000 plus a victim fine surcharge of $8,750.
Wal-Mart Canada Corp was convicted of two violations under the EPA, fined $120,000 plus a VFS of $30,000. Wal-Mart was also ordered to pay restitution to Soper Creek Wildlife Rescue in the amount of $305.
Written by: Noah Lorusso
