WATCH ABOVE: It’s taking some heavy machinery and a couple of workers in white suits, but the PCBs are finally being cleaned up in Pointe-Claire. Rachel Lau reports.
POINTE-CLAIRE – PCBs have once again been discovered in a Pointe-Claire drainage system, not far from where containers of PCB-laced oil was found last year.
“I understood that everything was being taken care of,” said Bob Martin, who lives nearby.
“Now, recently I hear that city officials have found leaks into the drain system.”
READ MORE: Clean-up in final stages after PCB spill in Pointe-Claire
In August 2013, it was discovered that the illegal toxins were being stored on site at Reliance Power Equipment Ltd. on Hymus boulevard.
The city of Pointe-Claire released a statement Tuesday warning residents about the leak.
“I don’t think the city has monitored it closely enough,” said David Yates, who lives nearby.
“Those PCBs have been there for some time, for some years.”
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The city says municipal authorities knew about the situation two weeks ago.
“The situation was temporarily remedied by authorities of the City of Pointe-Claire and the City of Montreal,” read the city’s statement.
The PCBs were discovered as workers started rebuilding the underground infrastructure on Hymus Boulevard.
“We found out a rain sewer pipe of the company was diverting liquids in the main pipe,” said Robert Weemaes, Pointe-Claire’s city manager.
“We had it checked and found out there were PCBs in it.”
Over the last few months, toxic liquids have been removed from the site.
“Pointe-Claire authorities have been vigilant in ensuring the health and safety of the city’s citizens. We are continuing in this vein,” said Trudeau in the statement.
READ MORE: What are PCBs?
“We are using all available means to make sure that this site…will present no risk to people’s health or to the environment.”
The report on the Reliance Power Equipment site is expected to be released in September.
If the soil is found to be contaminated, Trudeau insists the government will make sure it is properly taken care of.
READ MORE: Minister pledges tighter regulation of PCBs in Quebec
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