OG 2002 Reporting Environmental Emergencies and Spills

Issued By: OPERATIONS (B. Gray)
Approved By: Fire Chief Ken Stuebing    
Date of Issue: 1998/05/13
Revision Date: 2018/10/23

Forms Required:    SCHEDULE A, Reportable Release of Substance Amounts

BACKGROUND: 

HRFE is dedicated to enhancing and preserving the quality of life of its citizens and protecting property and the environment through education, leadership, partnerships and effective response to emergencies.  

As first responders, we often encounter environmental emergencies, spills or releases that are required by Section 69(3) of the Nova Scotia Environment Act to be reported.  The responsibility ultimately falls to the property owner. HRFE must demonstrate its due diligence where reporting is required as per Schedule A.  

PURPOSE: 
To define HRFE’s responsibilities and the necessary reporting procedures when encountering a release of substances that could harm the environment.  

OBJECTIVE:
To promote healthy, livable communities through emergency response and the protection of the environment. 

SCOPE:
All HRFE members 

DEFINITIONS: 
•    Act - the Nova Scotia Environment Act
•    Adverse effect - an effect that impairs or damages the environment or changes the environment in a manner that negatively impacts any aspect of human health.
•    Environmental emergency – a situation in which there is a release or an impending release of a substance in such quantities that mitigation of the release is beyond the capability of the person responsible because that person lacks the resources, is not known, or is otherwise unwilling or unable to control and manage the release.

•    Reportable release - means a release into the environment of a substance in an amount specified in Column 3 of Schedule A for that substance.

PREFACE:
Section 7 of the Environmental Emergency Regulations (NS) require the following: 

Verbal notice of unauthorized release or reportable release
7     A person who is reporting a release of a substance under Section 6 must verbally notify all of the following:                                       
                 (a)    the Minister, through the Department’s emergency telephone number; 
                (b)    if the person reporting is not the owner, the owner of the parcel of land where the release occurred;
                 (c)    any person who the person reporting knows or ought to know may be directly affected by the release, including the owner or occupant of any parcel of land to which the substance has migrated or is likely to migrate from the location of the release.

HRFE will often be the first to respond to environmental emergencies and encounter spills or releases that meet the reportable release thresholds.  Schedule A has been added as an insert and can be found on page 395 of all HRFE’s 2016 version of the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG).

PROCEDURE:
1.    HRFE will protect the health and safety of responders and the public, and make every effort to contain and minimize the adverse effects of a spill or release. 
  
2.    Upon discovering an environmental emergency, spill or release that exceeds the “Schedule A” reportable release thresholds or has the potential to adversely affect human health, the Incident Commander will request that Dispatch contact the appropriate AHJ:

a.    Department of Environment – for environmental emergencies on land, into the air or impacting fresh water, lakes and rivers.  (1-800-565-1633 – Press 2 or 902-426-6030)

b.    Canadian Coast Guard (24 Hour Telephone Reporting System) for environmental emergencies in the marine environment from ships, platforms, oil handling facilities or land and fresh water emergencies having the potential to migrate into the sea or ocean. (1-800-565-1633 – Press 3)

3.    The Incident Commander will provide the following pertinent information: 
•    Location of spill 
•    Direction of flow (if applicable)
•    Chemical(s) involved (or suspected, if crews are unable to identify)
•    Approximate quantities
•    Approach route
•    Waterways/drains affected
        
4.    If possible, the Incident Commander will inform the land owner of the incident, as well as any occupants or owners of adjacent property to which the substance has, or is likely to migrate.  If HRFE is unable to identify or inform the property owner(s), responders will advise the AHJ that they were unable to notify these owners.   

RELATED POLCIES/OPERATING GUIDELINES: 
•    OG 7001 Guidelines for First Responders to Dangerous Goods
•    OG 7003 Dangerous Goods Response Team
•    OG 4027 Firefighting Foam – Use Around Waterways
•    OG 4033 Clandestine Drug Labs

OPERATING GUIDELINE REVIEW:  
This OG will be reviewed if/when changes or amendments are made to the procedures or requirements for reporting releases into the environment.


Schedule A
Reportable Release of Substance Amounts

 

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

 

TDGA Class*

Description of Substance

Reportable Release Amount

1

All Class 1

explosive

any amount

2

2.1

compressed gas (flammable)

100 L or more

3

2.2

compressed gas (non-corrosive, non-flammable)

100L or more

4

2.3

compressed gas (toxic)

any amount

5

3

flammable liquid

100 L or more

6

4.1

flammable solid

25 kg or more

7

4.2

spontaneously combustible solid

25 kg or more

8

4.3

water reactant solid

25 kg or more

9

5.1

oxidizing substance

50 L or more

–or–

50 kg or more

10

5.2

organic peroxide

1 L or more

–or–

1 kg or more

11

6.1

poisonous substance

5 L or more

–or–

5 kg or more

12

6.2

infectious substance

any amount

13

7

radioactive substance

any amount

14

8

corrosive substance

5 L or more

–or–

5 kg or more

15

9 (in part)

miscellaneous product or substance, excluding PCB mixtures and environmentally hazardous substances

25 L or more

–or–

25 kg or more

16

9 (in part)

PCB mixture of 50 or more parts per million

0.5 L or more

–or–

0.5 kg or more

17

9 (in part)

environmentally hazardous substance

1 L or more

–or–

1 kg or more

18

n/a

asbestos waste as defined in the Asbestos Waste Management Regulations made under the Act

50 kg or more

19

n/a

used oil as defined in the Used Oil Regulations made under the Act

100 L or more

20

n/a

contaminated used oil as defined in the Used Oil Regulations made under the Act

5 L or more

21

n/a

pesticide in concentrated form

5 L or more

–or–

5 kg or more

22

n/a

pesticide in diluted form

70 L or more

23

n/a

unauthorized sewage discharge into fresh water or sensitive marine water

100 L or more

24

n/a

ozone-depleting substance as defined in the Ozone Layer Protection Regulations made under the Act

25 kg or more