ArcelorMittal Dofasco charged in 2015 soot fallout on neighbourhood
Charges stem from February 2015 incident in north east Hamilton
The Ontario Ministry of Environment has laid charges against ArcelorMittal Dofasco after black grit from one of the company's blast furnaces fell on a north Hamilton neighbourhood in February 2015 .
The charges stem from a visible air emission, called a blast furnace bleeder pop, from Dofasco's iron-making operations. That's when a blast furnace's safety valve is triggered due to high pressure in the furnace.
The charges were laid in September, but the company appeared in Hamilton court on the charges Tuesday. A new date has been set for January.
The Ministry says the company is facing two charges related to "discharging contaminants from a blast furnace."
The first relates to that discharge causing an adverse effect to the environment and the second relates to the impact on the community, specifically "causing loss of enjoyment of normal use of property."
A company spokeswoman said the steel company is cooperating with the Ministry, and added "it would not be appropriate to comment further on the charges at this time".
The Ministry also declined to comment.
On February 9, 2015, Grenfell Street residents said they saw a black cloud emerge above the steel facility, then blow over their homes around 1:45 p.m. that day. Snowbanks, homes and vehicles on Grenfell Street were coated with a coarse black grit and the area councillor said he received complaints about fallout from as far away as east Mountain. Grenfell is near Beach Road and Kenilworth Avenue North.
The next week, the company confirmed that "very fine particulate of coke and iron" fell after the "operational upset" at one of its blast furnaces.
Dofasco spokesperson Marie Verdun said Tuesday that the company is committed to always improving its business, including its impacts on the environment and community.