BC: It is time to report a spill

The provincial Ministry of the Environment recently advised British Columbians and businesses operating in B.C. that, effective October 30, 2018, the Spill Reporting Regulation is in effect.

Transporters of liquid petroleum products in B.C. must have spill preparedness plans in place to manage a spill. The Spill Reporting Regulation applies to pipelines, rail and trucking operations transporting over 10,000 litres.

The regulation was designed to increase responsibility, transparency and accountability for those who own and/or transport potentially dangerous products through the province. The new regulation also extends liability for the full cost of response and recovery to a combination of both the owner and the transporter.

Transporters are now required to have contingency plans in place before product is moved, and anyone who causes a spill must report it. A transporter causing a spill can be directed by the Ministry to develop and implement a recovery plan; these plans must outline the work that is required following the initial response to an incident to ensure environmental damage is fully addressed.

In the event of a spill, the responsible person must ensure that it is reported immediately by calling 1-800-663-3456. Information on the BC Ministry of the Environment Report a Spill webpage includes spill reports, a spill reporting fact sheet, and a contact email for submitting reports. 

For any questions about the requirement of spill reporting or the process, contact the Spill Reporting Clerk at SpillReports@gov.bc.ca.