Love Canal, 35 years later
Why do we spend so much time and money on invisible contamination underground? One of the big reasons is the sickness and death at Love Canal. For those who don’t remember, Living on Earth has a retrospective. We needed to act. Did we overreact?
View the post titled Love Canal, 35 years laterBaker (Northstar Directors') liability appeal has settled
Ten corporate officers and directors have paid $4.75 million to be released from the Northstar Canada cleanup order, even though the Ministry of the Environment admits that none of them were at fault for causing the contamination. Some were not even on the Northstar Canada board. The Enviro…
View the post titled Baker (Northstar Directors') liability appeal has settledNo stay for Order to former officers and directors
The Environmental Review Tribunal has refused to stay a multimillion dollar order to the former officers and directors of a bankrupt company and its parent, pending appeal, whether or not the Ministry of the Environment had jurisdiction to issue the Order.
View the post titled No stay for Order to former officers and directorsBuyer can’t expect compensation for pre-existing contamination
If Midwest purchased a contaminated property, it must prove that there has been an increase in the contamination level of property caused by the Defendants.
View the post titled Buyer can’t expect compensation for pre-existing contaminationWhat counts as pollution?
Two recent cases have reached opposite conclusions about what counts as a “contaminant” under Ontario’s Environmental Protection Act (EPA). Neither case seems to make much environmental sense. Why is flyrock a “contaminant”, when reflected light that lures millions of birds to their deaths i…
View the post titled What counts as pollution?Inco awarded $1,766,000 in costs for contamination class action
Justice J. R. Henderson of the Ontario Superior Court has awarded Inco $1,766,000 in legal costs arising from the Smith v. Inco nickel contamination class action in Port Colborne, Ontario. This is less than a quarter of Inco’s actual legal costs, which exceeded $5,340,000 after certi…
View the post titled Inco awarded $1,766,000 in costs for contamination class actionLiability insurer need not pay for voluntary delineation and cleanup
According to Ontario’s Court of Appeal, General Electric Canada (GE) can’t make its liability insurer pay for the delineation and cleanup of a former GE property contaminated with trichloroethylene (“TCE”), because it voluntarily complied with a Ministry of the Environment …
View the post titled Liability insurer need not pay for voluntary delineation and cleanupSoil remediation: smell test stands up in court
The latest decision in the Horvath saga has upheld the “smell test” in delineating home furnace oil contamination for remediation.
View the post titled Soil remediation: smell test stands up in courtHow much cadmium in your dinner?
Would you like to know how much cadmium is in your can of lunchmeat? Or lead in your chocolate chip cookie? Health Canada has just the table you need. The levels are generally low, but provide another reason to prefer to eat local, less processed food….
View the post titled How much cadmium in your dinner?Sydney Tar Ponds class action certified
After eight years of legal wrangling, the Sydney Tar Ponds class action has finally been certified. However, the plaintiffs’ chances of ultimate success will be significantly reduced if the Smith v. Inco decision stands.
View the post titled Sydney Tar Ponds class action certifiedReceive Blog Posts
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