G&R Investigation
G&R is a construction waste material dump on the Kanehsata:ke Land Reserve. As confirmed in FOI material and multiple media reports copied below, G&R has breached numerous permit conditions and continues to leak dangerous materials into the surrounding environment. In spite of this, both federal and provincial governments have not taken action to remedy the situation and remove threats to people and wildlife. Faced with this situation, ReconciliAction collaborated with local activists on investigating and campaigning for cleanup of G&R. See highlights from our investigation below and take action!
The facility contains as much as 15 times the amount of materials it was originally allowed to hold. As Ricochet reports, local residents complain of nausea. (Photo from The Eastern Door)
Using historical satellite records, ReconciliAction's geography team documented the evolution of the site.
Today, our analyses show the site uses three times as much space as it was originally allowed.
G&R's permits limit height of waste piles to 6 metres. Our analysis reveals that they pile as high as 20m.
One condition for the facility was runoff water treatment and management. It has none. Government analysis of this water obtained through FOI and not shared with the public reveals leakage.
Worryingly, the facility is situated at the confluence of multiple waterways.
Drone surveillance reveals these water ways are not isolated from waste management.
The longer the 160 Olympic swimming pools of unknown waste sit at the crossing of waterways, the greater the risk to the environment.
In August 2021, ReconciliAction gained access to a trove of government documents through FOI request. These can be accessed here as well as previewed below.
Analysis of government files by Société pour Vaincre la Pollution subsequent to ReconciliAction's release highlights the worrying data concerning PBCs in particular.
Other results at a glance:
The government's documents are expansive. They do, however, confirm that the content of G&R remains unidentified and are likely toxic.
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Though low (0.023 ug/l) the downstream concentrations of PCBs are 600 times higher than those upstream (0.000034 ug/l), indicating that these toxic materials may be stocked in the site.
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Concentrations of fecal bacteria are also much higher downstream (4200 ufc/100ml) than upstream (27 ufc/100ml), suggesting organic waste.
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Many metals are leaking into the environment in concentrations that are beyond norms for the protection of fauna. Alumunium is present in concentrations of 6.82 mg/l downstream versus 0.142 mg/l upstream. Norms for the protection of fauna are 1.6 mg/l (acute) and 0.34 mg/l (chronic). The chronic norm for lead is 0.0013 mg/l, and downstream concentrations can reach 0.006 mg/l.
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Analysis of leachate that escapted from G&R shows concentrations of 1100 ufc/100m of E. Coli and 5,300,000 of fecal bacteria.
The full analysis and trove of documents can be accessed here.
