ArcelorMittal Dofasco fined for soot fallout on Hamilton neighbourhood

ArcelorMittal Dofasco must pay $162,500 after black grit from one of the company's blast furnaces fell on a north Hamilton neighbourhood in February 2015.

The charges stemmed 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.

On Feb. 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 valves discharged coke and iron particulate, rust materials and blast furnace gas, according to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, which laid the charges.

"As a result of the fallout, one resident prohibited her children from playing outside as a precaution until she could be assured that there would be no health consequences," the ministry said in a news release.

'The company regrets that this event caused community impact'

Other neighbours had to clean the siding on their homes and cars.

The charges were laid in September 2015, and the conviction and fine was announced late Monday.

Dofasco is required to pay a $130,000 fine and a $32,500 victim fine surcharge within 60 days.

In an email to its community liaison committee members, Dofasco apologized for the incident and said teams are "continually" reviewing the company's practices to try to prevent triggering the valves in the future.

"The company regrets that this event caused community impact and the company is committed to operating effectively and responsibly," wrote John Lundrigan, general manager, environment, for ArcelorMittal Dofasco.