THUNDER BAY — The Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper mill has been ordered to immediately stop discharging waste into the Kam River, following a complaint from the Ministry of Natural Resources earlier this month.
According to a spokesperson for the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks, their Spills Action Centre received a report on Aug. 23, from the Ministry of Natural Resources, about a "discoloured plume and strong odour" near the mill’s effluent discharge location.
City residents had already noticed discoloration in the water near the mill and reported fish death in the area.
According to their spokesperson, the ministry has contacted the mill seeking details of the events leading to the discharge and the mill's water sampling information. The mill reported effluent "exceedances" from samples taken on Aug. 20 and Aug. 25.
The ministry has also collected samples, which they are analyzing.
The province has issued the mill a Notice of Violation, which brings a halt to any discharging, until investigators can find the source of the problem and identify measures to stop it from happening again.
Fort William First Nation is also conducting its own testing, Chief Michele Solomon told Newswatch on Thursday. At the time she said the First Nation had not been notified of the issue by any official body.
The ministry is continuing to investigate the incident and is directing the public to contact the Thunder Bay District Health Unit for any information about health-related issues, including the safety of water for swimming.
— TBnewswatch
