The amount of naphtha dumped into the North Saskatchewan river suggests it was from an industrial source, not residential, according to Nikki Booth of Edmonton Fire Rescue.
Naphtha is a petroleum-based substance used in paint thinners, and the concentration that was spilled is not expected to be a threat to human, wildlife, or environmental health. The spill was reported by a river valley runner on Wednesday evening and eventually traced to a west-end sewage outflow.
Illegal dumping of chemicals can fetch fines of $1M. The full article from CBC is here.
Not there is any excuse for dumping chemicals, but I wonder if there is a system in place that facilitates easy disposal of this particular solvent? As of the time of posting this entry, I have placed a call to the Environmental Services Association of Edmonton (ESSA), who forwarded me to the local disposal station, Custom Environmental, who I left messages with.
I will follow up this posting with information on the hazardous waste management programs for industrial businesses in Edmonton.
