Current Threats
BARC and other stakeholders continue to address the major threats to the restoration of the Harbour.
Contaminated Sediment: Randle Reef
Randle Reef is a problem from our past. Located in the industrial corner of the Harbour, it’s a blob of coal tar dumped in the water before the 1960s and prior to pollution laws. It is the most contaminated site in the Harbour and the worst Canadian site of its kind in the Great Lakes.
A consensus recommendation was reached by a project advisory group of various stakeholders. The containment method is proceeding through a design phase, supervised by Environment Canada. At about $105 million, the project will be the second most costly action of the Remedial Action Plan (RAP). Containment will cap contaminated tox ic sediment and clean fill will cover the contaminated sediment. A pier for port activities will cover the structure on one side. A natural shoreline habitat will be created on the other side.
BARC has created the Randle Reef Cube which represents one of 630,000 cubic metres of severely toxic coal tar sludge found in Randle Reef in Hamilton Harbour. This is enough to fill Copps Coliseum three times!
Click here to learn more about the cube & what you can do to help bring more attention to this important issue!
On Sept. 27th, 2011, BARC hosted a Panel Discussion to provide our members and the public with more information on Randle Reef and update us all on remediation progress. To see a pdf copy of the PowerPoint presentation given by our experts that evening, click here.
Water Quality: Wastewater as the culprit
Every day, local treatment plants process hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of sewage, releasing the treated water into the Harbour. They only partially remove nutrients like phosphorus and ammonia. The volume of treated wastewater entering the Harbour can overload the system, producing tell-tale signs: excess algae and unpleasant odours. Pesticides and fertilizers, chemicals and the sheer volume of water going down sewers and household drains every day contribute to this problem.
Sewer overflows also harm harbour water quality. Many older neighbourhoods have combined sewer systems where a single pipe carries sewage and stormwater to treatment plants. During heavy rains, these pipes can’t handle the volume and overflow, bypassing treatments plants and going directly into the Harbour.
The City of Hamilton is fixing these problems by constructing combined sewer overflow (CSO) tanks designed to intercept overflows before they enter the Harbour. Upgrades at the treatment plants are a high priority and improvements are currently underway. It will take millions more to finish the infrastructure improvements but positive effects are already something to celebrate.
Hamilton Harbour has two beaches at its western end: Bayfront Park Beach and Pier 4 Park Beach. Both beaches are often posted as unsafe for swimming due to E. coli bacteria levels that exceed the recreational guideline. E. coli bacteria can cause a range of illnesses. Recent research at Environment Canada has indicated that the source of the E. coli is likely loafing geese and other waterfowl. Waterfowl feces contains high E. coli. BARC has launched a "Don't Feed the Waterfowl" campaign to educate about the importance of making our beaches healthy by the not feeding the waterfowl. The City of Hamilton, Environment Canada and partner organizations are experimenting with projects to keep birds off the beaches and reduce E. coli numbers.
Emerging Threats
Pharmaceuticals:
As we come closer to delisting the Harbour as an Area of Concern, new threats are emerging. These include endocrine disrupters such as estrogen, which feminize Harbour fish. There is a whole class of chemicals of concern that are an apparent threat to our aquatic ecosystems. For some background information on emerging chemicals of concern, including endocrine disrupters, please see the MIEH website (McMaster Institute of Environment and Health) and click here for the links to the reports
Other links of note regarding emerging threats:
David Suzuki Foundation: "The Dirty Dozen" -- toxins in our cosmetic and personal hygiene products
Read our coverage of this issue in our Fall, 2010 newsletter
Environmental Footprints of Pharmaceuticals - article
Distribution of Acidic and Neutral Drugs in Surface Water near Sewage Treatment Plants - article
Disposal Practices for Unwanted Residential Medications in the United States - article
Illicit Drugs in Canadian Municipal Wastewater and Estimates of Community Drug Use - article
Asian Carp:
Concern is increasing over the likelihood of Asian Carp, a species not-native to the Great Lakes, entering our waters from the Mississippi River system. Our Summer 2010 newsletter summarizes a talk given at our Spring Workshop regarding this invasive species.
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