THE TOP 5 REASONS TO SUPPORT #NOPIPE
1. For your HEALTH
The composition of the toxic effluent will contain dioxins, furans, metals, 1000KG of solids and other contaminates at 90,000,000 Litres PER DAY. Dioxins and Furans can cause very serious health issues to humans and our food sources. Shellfish absorb dioxins and furans at 25,000-50,000 times the concentration in the water.
The Northern Pulp treatment system proposal includes a plan to burn the waste sludge. The waste sludge contains toxins which would be released through the stacks of the mill’s power boiler. The proposal is to "dewater the sludge prior to mixing it with bark and other wood waste for combustion in the mill's power boiler." This is the same power boiler that is currently and repeatedly failing stack emissions tests. Problems with air quality from mill emissions have been documented for years. Lack of appropriate monitoring and enforcement already puts area residents at risk. Now, Northern Pulp is considering adding sludge containing toxins to the combustion mix, increasing health risks from NP’s air emissions.
https://www.nrcm.org/projects/waters/cleaning-up-the-androscoggin-river/maines-dioxin-problem/
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/b61814_40a0f43682ee45d99af01fb432d910fd.pdf
2. For the overall ECONOMY
The proposed treatment system runs the risk of harming three lifelong Industries worth close to $4 Billion dollars to the Nova Scotia economy. The tourism industry is worth $2.7 Billion and prides itself on warm, clean water and world class sandy beaches. The Commercial Fishing Industry is worth $1 Billion and prides itself on sustainable wild shellfish that is shipped all across the world. The Sport Fishing industry is worth $56 Million and the Northumberland Strait is home to the last remaining stable Atlantic Salmon stocks in the province. All of this is at risk due to 90,000,000 Liters of waste water PER DAY that will be 37 Celsius that will contain deleterious substances harmful to Fish species and humans.
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/b61814_246fdf7e04a64e239be0fbf7dc64f976.pdf
https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20180222001
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/b61814_f856b6a7c7b34ffb9eba165dc3ed894b.pdf
3. For the ENVIRONMENT
Nova Scotia and the Northumberland Strait have many great resources. However, they are at risk with the proposed Effluent treatment process. As it stands right now, there are no CCME guidelines established for Marine Environments for some of the different chemicals and compounds that make up the pulp mill effluent.
a.There are no guidelines for Total Phosphorous – Causes eutrophication and oygen depletion
b.There are no guidelines for AOX – AOX covers a large group of organic constituents from simple volatile substances such as chloroform, to complex organic molecules such as dioxins/furans. Most AOXs are chlorine-containing molecules. AOX compounds pose a potential concern for estuarine environment because they have long half-life periods.
c.There are no guidelines for BOD - Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) refers to the amount of oxygen that would be consumed if all organic material in one liter of a sample were oxidized. BOD directly affects the amount of dissolved oxygen in the mixing zone
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H1HltUnh9Oem_KpPHwxmye7z5mfJP5_W/view
4. Better return for your TAX DOLLARS
Nova Scotians are on the hook for the Boat Harbour clean up which is expected to be close to half a billion dollars once remediated. They also paid for the design process of the proposed effluent process at a cost of $6 Million dollars and will be expected to cover the construction, installation, labour etc for the proposed pipe estimated at $100 Million dollars. Further to that $127 Million dollars of NS Tax payers dollars have been given to the mill in the last several years. Meanwhile we have doctors over worked and leaving our province. We have ER closures and very long wait times for treatment and care. Our Education system is also at its max with constant cuts. Funding for Seniors and Veterans as well as many more public programs and services would benefit from the large sums of NS tax dollars instead of it going towards Northern Pulp.
5. New treatment Facility is NOT BETTER
Northern Pulp’s proposed new effluent treatment facility differs from the present facility in a number of ways. In the present system, untreated effluent is piped from the mill to the north settling ponds at Boat Harbour, where it remains for 12 hours for primary treatment. It then moves to an aerated stabilization basin where effluent is placed in contact with micro-organisms. The effluent remains there for 8 days for secondary treatment. After 8 days, the effluent is discharged from the aeration basin at what is known as Point C, and treatment is considered finished. At point C, samples are taken for testing to determine whether the treated effluent meets regulations. After point C, the effluent enters the 300-acre Boat Harbour lagoon, also known as Boat Harbour Basin. Boat Harbour Basin was initially used as a stand-alone effluent treatment facility. In 1972, settling ponds and an aerated stabilization basin were constructed to meet stricter regulations for pulp effluent treatment. Additional aeration and other upgrades were added from 1992-1996, as the federal government again adopted stricter regulations. The lagoon at Boat Harbour has not been officially part of the effluent treatment system since 1972. Official or not, treated effluent remains in the lagoon for an additional 20-30 days. Further aeration, settling, cooling, volatilization and breakdown of materials takes place during that time. This is referred to as “polishing” or tertiary treatment. Natural springs and surface run off further dilute the effluent. According to Northern Pulp’s figures, during the time in Boat Harbour Basin, total suspended solids (TSS) and biochemical oxygen below the proposed water quality standard of 1%.” The Stantec Preliminary Receiving Waters Study, August 2017, illustrates the same lack of dispersion. Treated effluent has never flowed directly into the deeper waters of the Strait. From its discharge at the shoreline, after 20-30 days in Boat Harbour Basin, tides and currents further break down, dilute and settle contaminants before they reach the deeper waters of the Strait. It is misleading to imply that effluent from the proposed new system pumped directly into the fishing grounds of the Strait within 24 hour that contains almost 1000kg of solids will have the same impact as the effluent which presently enters the Strait at the shore edge, hugs the shore and recirculates in and out of Pictou Harbour.
https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/b61814_ab61cca668f1432f890d2d0a7715a554.pdf
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https://petitions.ourcommons.ca/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-1750