West Coast Reduction Limited - conviction information for 2015-07-08

Corporation details
Corporation name: West Coast Reduction Limited
Address: 1292 Venables Street
City: Vancouver
Province/territory: British Columbia
Postal code: V5L 4V7
Country: Canada
Sector or industry: 562 - Waste management and remediation services
Case details
Location of offense: 105 Commercial Drive North, Vancouver, British Columbia
Case summary: West Coast Reduction Ltd. (WCRL) operates in 6 cities in Western Canada where it renders used oil and also loads oil for movement by ships and rail.
  • On November 24, 2013, WCRL was loading canola oil on to the vessel Bum Shin at the dock adjacent to their facility at 105 North Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC.
  • The loading of the vessel was being done via a pipeline with multiple outlets that can be covered and sealed if not in use.
  • During this loading one of the covers on the pipeline was improperly tightened and began leaking oil. The secondary containment inside the vault where the cover was located had also developed a crack and allowed the leaking oil to escape to Burrard Inlet
  • During the investigation it was discovered that a number of documented procedures were not followed that would have led to the discovery of the leak at an earlier time. The estimated quantity of Canola oil spilled was 1800 litres.
Charges:
Charges of deposit a deleterious substance to waters frequented by fish under section 36(3) of the Fisheries Act and charges of deposit of a substance that is harmful to Migratory Birds in waters or an area frequented by migratory birds under section 5.1(1) of the Migratory Birds Convention Act 1994 were sworn on March 2, 2015.
Enforcement notification: West Coast Reduction pays $90,000 for environmental offences
Conviction
Result: Guilty Plea
Date of conviction: 2015-07-08
Court level: Provincial and Territorial Court
Nature of offense(s):
  • Allowed the deposit of a deleterious substance
Additional details about the nature of the offense:
Legislative details
Act Regulations Section(s)
Pollution Prevention provisions (subsection 36(3)) of the Fisheries Act s.36(3)
Sentencing
Date of sentencing: 2015-07-08
Location of sentencing: Vancouver, BC
Sentence(s):
  • Fine,
  • Penalty for the EDF
Amount of fine(s): $90,000
Sentencing details:

West Coast Reduction Ltd. was ordered to pay $90,000 on July 8, 2015, in Vancouver Provincial Court after pleading guilty to an offence under the Fisheries Act.

The conviction stems from a spill of approximately 1,800 litres of canola oil, into the Burrard Inlet, that occurred as West Coast Reduction Ltd. was loading the vessel Bum Shin at the Port Metro Vancouver. The company reported the incident on November 24, 2013.

Environment Canada’s investigation determined that the spill was the result of documented procedures not being followed, an improperly secured flange in the loading system, and a cracked containment vault at the site of the improperly secured flange.

Canola oil is deleterious to fish and is harmful to migratory birds. Of the $90,000 penalty, $85,000 will be directed to the Government of Canada’s Environmental Damages Fund and $5,000 will be paid as a fine.
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