For the third time this year, there has been a reported leak of sulphuric acid near Trail, B.C.
The incident happened around 5 p.m. on Saturday, after the acid was unloaded from a transportation truck at the Quirk Siding Reload Centre in Waneta, about six km east of Trail, according to International Raw Materials (IRM).
Mining giant Teck Resources sells the acid to IRM, which distributes it for applications from pulp milling to fertilizer production.
IRM had contracted Trimac Transportation Ltd. to carry the acid from Teck’s Trail facility to rail transport.
The company said staff noticed a “small sulphuric acid drip” from the truck after it was unloaded on Saturday.
RCMP, firefighters, Teck’s emergency response team and IRM technical advisers were called to investigate, the company said.
WATCH: Highway sulphuric acid spill in Trail, B.C. damages hundreds of vehicles
“A small volume of less than one cup was found on site at the transfer station and three dime-sized drips found on 7-Mile Dam Road adjacent to the Reload Center,” according to statement from IRM.
“All were neutralized and cleaned up in accordance with Transportation of Dangerous Goods standards.”
The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure says staff arrived on scene Saturday night to ensure appropriate cleanup was conducted, and determined that less than a litre of acid had leaked.
“Due to the limited amount of material spilled and the thorough cleanup process, no health or environmental impacts have been reported or are expected,” it said in a statement.
The ministry says it is continuing to monitor the roads to ensure there are no further issues.
A portion of Highway 22 was closed while crews investigated the route the truck took. The company said no acid was detected on Highway 22 or Highway 3B.
READ MORE: ICBC says many vehicles exposed to sulphuric acid around Trail, B.C. will need to be replaced
IRM said it is investigating what caused the drip, and that all transport of sulphuric acid by truck has been temporarily suspended.
The amount of acid reported to have leaked is significantly smaller than the two spills that occurred earlier this year.
According to Teck, 220 litres of acid leaked from a truck over a 16-km stretch of highway in April, and in May, 70 litres dripped from a truck over a six-km stretch of road.
While the company said none of that acid made its way into any waterways or damaged any roads, hundreds of vehicles were reportedly damaged.
ICBC said it has been dealing with a massive spike in claims related to the acid, which has the potential to corrode vehicle undercarriages and brake lines.
Comments