Teck employees reported a spill of low pH effluent to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECC) and Emergency Management BC.
ECCC enforcement officers investigated and determined the discharge of approximately 2.5 million litres of effluent into the river just north of the U.S. border resulted from numerous operational errors.
The river contains mountain whitefish, rainbow trout, walleye, brook trout, bull trout, cutthroat trout, white sturgeon, sculpin, redside shiner, and other fish species.
An ECCC news release said the company’s failure to exert due diligence contributed to the duration and extent of the spill.
The investigation found the effluent was caused by a leak of an acidic solution from the company’s fertilizer operations in Warfield, B.C., just above the Trail metals smelter.
Much of the discharged effluent was below pH 4, which is deleterious, or harmful to fish.
The C$2-million federal fine will be directed…
