Neighbours to push for pollution answers at Dofasco public meeting

Bursts of pollution from ArcelorMittal Dofasco's steelmaking plant have left neighbours with questions about the air they're breathing.

They plan to push for accountability at a meeting open to the public this Thursday.

It's the quarterly meeting of the community liaison committee, which includes representatives from the province, the city, local members of the public and the Hamilton Port Authority.

The meeting comes a month after three eruptions of particulate pollution clouded the sky over Thanksgiving weekend and drifted across some Hamilton neighbourhoods.

The company says it has formed a special team to fast track the search for solutions to eliminate "eruptions and emissions."

The bursts of particulate are the result of a process of excess hot metal management — the pouring of liquid iron into slag beds. It is known as "coffining."

'What are those performance measures for?'

Community members on the public accountability committee have so far not heard from the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) over what, if any, enforcement action the company faces for not complying with a particular performance measure intended to help it reduce emissions.

Dofasco, meanwhile, says despite the noncompliance on the one measure, it is still meeting special emission targets.

Jochen Bezner lives near the plant and sits on the committee.

Bezner said he's skeptical that Dofasco's response should be enough for the province.

"I would counter and say that maybe it's true, but then what are those performance measures for?" he said. "Why did the ministry even bother to prescribe those?"

He said every time he has asked the ministry about what it plans to do about Dofasco's compliance, he's been told he'll hear more at the Thursday meeting.

Company says it's on track to meet targets in 2017

In July, the company told the committee that it had asked the province for an extension to come into compliance on two specific emissions measures on leaks from one of its coke ovens.

The company had already received one extension to do some repairs and was looking to extend that to the end of the year.

Dofasco didn't receive the extension to have more time to come into compliance.

Regardless, the ministry expects the company to meet its emissions targets, said Lindsay Davidson, MOECC spokesperson.

Jim Stirling, general manager of environment at Dofasco, said that the company expects to be within its provincial and site-specific standards limits for 2017. 

Although the second extension wasn't granted, the company said it is making some adjustments to other emissions elsewhere in the plant while it works to bring the final measure into compliance. 

Bezner wants to see the city's public health department take a stronger role in advocating on behalf of residents of Hamilton to the ministry.

The meeting happens at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. More information here.