Vale changes smelter operations following gas scare last summer

Morning North7:35Update on Vale gas leak in Copper Cliff last year

Vale has concluded its investigation into a release of nitrogen gas at its Copper Cliff smelter in August of last year. The leak sent some people into a panic. The CBC's Erik White joined us to talk about what changes will be made to prevent a repeat.

An unexpected release of nitrogen gas last summer has changed how Vale operates its Copper Cliff smelter.

On the morning of Aug. 13, the streets in Copper Cliff were blocked off and residents were told to stay inside that morning as officials tried to identify a yellow cloud hanging in the air.

The nitrogen oxide gas was created during the regular washing of the smelter's acid plant. It's a normal part of the process, which happens during the maintenance shutdown every 18 months so the acid tanks can be inspected, and the small amount of gas is then vented out of the plant.

Vale milling and smelting director Mike McCann says while there are some theories, it's still unclear why the gas was more concentrated than usual.

"You know it was excessive," he said.

"We don't want to be in a position as a trusted community member here having emissions like that. We learn from them and we try to put the right measures in place so they don't happen again."

McCann says Vale won't be washing down its acid plant again until it finds a better way to do it.

That isn't scheduled until the next maintenance shutdown at the Copper Cliff smelter in the summer of 2017, when a specialized contractor with a higher level of safety equipment will be hired to do the inspections of the unwashed acid plant tanks.

'What's happening? That was the part that was unnerving.'

Vale is looking at ways to improve its communication with neighbours after hearing concerns from Copper Cliff residents like Margaret Julian.

After living near the smelter for 37 years, she heard the alarm that morning and knew to close her doors and windows, but isn't happy that it took hours for the company to provide more information.

"And then you wait. What's happening? And that was the part that was unnerving," said Julian.

She wonders if Vale might be able to spread the word electronically, possibly through Facebook, which she said everyone in Copper Cliff was using to share information that morning.