Environmental Spills
What is an Environmental Spill?
An environmental spill is the release of a pollutant into the environment. Pollutants can include substances such as fuel, oil, chemicals, or contaminated water. Spills can occur for many reasons, with equipment failure, vehicle collisions, and human error being among the most common causes.
Knowing how to respond in the event of a spill is critical. An effective spill response not only helps protect the environment but also plays a vital role in safeguarding municipal drinking water supplies.
When spills occur in vulnerable drinking water areas, residents who rely on those water sources may be at risk. Prompt reporting of spills enables the appropriate municipal and provincial authorities to be notified, helping to prevent further contamination and supporting a quick and effective cleanup.
Legal Requirements for Spill Reporting
Under Ontario Regulation 675/98 of the Environmental Protection Act, 1990, owners of pollutants are legally required to report spills if;
- they caused or permitted the spill to occur.
- they had control of the substance prior to the spill.
- they are a member of a public agency and to their knowledge, the spill has not already been reported.
Spills must be reported to the Spills Action Centre
- Toll-free: 1-800-268-6060
- 416-325-3000
These phone lines are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Public Pollution Reporting
If you are a member of the public and you witness a pollution incident, you are encouraged to report it. Pollution incidents may include spills on land, in the water or into the air, as well as activities such as illegal dumping or the improper disposal of commercial waste.
Pollution can be reported through an online form or by phone at 1-866-663-8477. This reporting line is available 24 hours, 7 days a week.
