A draft Policy and Discussion Document for the Management of Ozone-depleting Substances at Federal Facilities was developed by the Region. That study will contribute to the national ODS inventory update. A human health risk assessment of the Pictou Landing First Nation community's exposures associated with Boat Harbour, NS was conducted by a consultant hired by a joint environment and human health advisory committee. That study did not identify risk associated with the Boat Harbour Treatment Facility, which receives pulp and paper mill waste, or for the use of Boat Harbour over the next nine years. A preliminary aquatic food chain model used in the assessment identified a potential problem beyond 2005 associated with regular consumption of fish from Boat Harbour.
Further work is planned to define and eliminate that risk.
The regional component of the National Pollutant Release Inventory processed 230 substance reports from 79 facilities. Releases to air, surface water and land totaled 7,619 tonnes, with methanol, ethylene glycol, chlorine dioxide, ammonia, zinc, chloride and sulphuric acid as the top substances. Reported transfers to off-site facilities totaled 11,301 tonnes, with aluminum and methanol as the top substances. Fifty ocean disposal permit applications were reviewed and 55 permits were issued. The Middle Shoal Channel ocean disposal permit was suspended in the fall of 1996 by a Federal Court order after the Union of Nova Scotia Indians requested a judicial review of the environmental assessment of that project.