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Creosote-impregnated Waste Materials - PSL1

3.0 Assessment of "Toxic" under CEPA

Estimates of the amounts of waste creosote entering the Canadian environment from creosote-contaminated sites are not available for many sites. However, at most of the sites where hydrogeological surveys have been done, large amounts of waste creosote have been discovered in soil, groundwater, and some surface waters. There is an estimated 256 000 m³ of moderately and highly contaminated soil at 11 abandoned or operating creosote-treating facilities in Canada. Waste creosote is known to be entering the soils, groundwaters, and surface waters at 24 creosote-contaminated sites in all of the provinces, except Prince Edward Island.

3.1 CEPA 11(a): Environment

Little information was found on the leaching of waste creosote or component PAHs from creosote waste products, and no information was found on the environmental toxicity of these leachates.

Groundwater has been severely contaminated at several creosote-contaminated sites. Benthic organisms and the general health of the aquatic ecosystem have been adversely affected near a major wood-treatment facility in Thunder Bay, Ontario by the presence of waste creosote pooling on the sediments. Environmentally sensitive benthic invertebrates (Trichoptera and Plecoptera) were generally absent from approximately a kilometre length of the south half of the Bow River downstream from another major wood-treatment facility in Calgary. These organisms were replaced by less sensitive Gastropods (snails) and Diptera (crane flies). Mountain whitefish in the Bow River have highly elevated concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene and phenanthrene metabolites in their bile compared to fish from a control site. Concentrations of waste creosote and the component PAHs have been found in Canadian freshwater sediments near creosote wood-preservation plants in excess of concentrations known to have severe effects on freshwater and marine organisms, although these correlations do not provide direct evidence of environmental impacts. There are strong correlations between the presence of PAHs from waste creosote sources in the sediments of Eagle Harbor, Washington and the Elizabeth River, Virginia, the levels of PAHs found in the tissues of fish in these two aquatic systems, and liver tumors discovered in these fish.

3.2 Conclusion

Creosote Waste Products

Therefore, on the basis of available data, it is not possible to determine whether materials leaching from creosote waste products (i.e., used railway ties and utility poles) are entering or may be entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that are having or may have a harmful effect on the environment.

Creosote-contaminated Sites

Therefore, on the basis of available data, materials from creosote-contaminated sites are entering or may be entering the environment in a quantity or concentration or under conditions that are having or may have a harmful effect on the environment.