Past resurfaces: toxic substances are leaking from the Northvolt site

Toxic substances, which are believed to come from another era, are flowing into the Richelieu River from the Northvolt site, according to organizations that will present their results Monday morning.

The Comité Action Citoyenne – Projet Northvolt (CAC), the Société pour vaincre la pollution (SVP) and the Société pour la nature et les parcs (SNAP Québec) had water and sediment samples that are believed to come from the Northvolt site analyzed by a certified laboratory.

The samples analyzed “suggest that the construction work on the Northvolt plant” contributed to the release into the Richelieu River of various contaminants from the former industrial site.

The organizations SNAP Québec, SVP and CAC say they are particularly concerned about the “presence of high concentrations of certain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that exceed the sediment criterion for the protection of the aquatic environment by up to eight times.”

The Canadian government considers PAHs to be toxic and carcinogenic substances that can affect human health and the environment.

“The Richelieu River is certainly the first victim of this industrial contamination. We are particularly concerned about the emergence of a new threat to the survival and recovery of the copper redhorse,” said Alain Branchaud, biologist and executive director of CPAWS Quebec, in a press release.

This fish exists nowhere else in the world except in Quebec, in the area between Lake Saint-Louis and Lake Saint-Pierre and particularly in the Richelieu River estuary.

“The life cycle of this species, unique to Quebec, makes it particularly vulnerable to aquatic contamination,” added Branchaud.

The three organizations are calling for “the two Environment Ministries to take charge of toxicological analyses” and also “the implementation of a water containment and treatment system to prevent contamination of the Richelieu River.”

A Past That Resurfaces

The land where Northvolt plans to establish itself in Montérégie has long been an industrial site.

Throughout the 20th century, the land was owned by explosives production companies.

The municipality of McMasterville was named in honour of William McMaster, the first president of the Canadian Explosives Company in 1910.

In the 2000s, and until 2015, the site was used by chemical and paint manufacturing companies.

During this same period, it also underwent decontamination and revegetation work.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews