LAKE SUPERIOR RESEARCH AND INFORMATION NETWORK

 

Thunder Bay North Harbour
• Mercury contaminated
material
• Near:
• Shipyards
• Site of former Abitibi,
Cascades, Superior Fine
Papers mill
• Approximately 3 hectares or
7.5 acres in size
• 400,000 cubic meters
contaminated material

 





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Thunder Bay North Harbour

13.00
18.00
5.00

9.90
32.00

40.00
12.00

9.40

Methylmercury
Hotspot

5.00
1.90

3.80

0.96

Mercury Levels in Native Soil:
Less than 0.05 µg/g

0.97 Within the PSEL
0.97

16.00

3.30 1x to 5x above PSEL

14.00 5x to 10x above PSE
3.30
3.30
14.00

40.00 More than 10x PSEL
*Numbers are in ug/g Hg

5.30

Methylmercury ranges:
Trace to 0.323 µg/g

Provincial Severe Effect Level (PSEL):
2.00 µg/g Hg

 Lowest Effect Level
indicates a level of
sediment contamination at
which the majority of
benthic organisms are
unaffected.

Severe Effect Level
indicates a level at which
contaminant levels in
sediment could potentially
eliminate most of the
benthic organisms.

 Who Owns this Contaminated Site?

• Federal Government (Transport Canada)
• Managed by the Thunder Bay Port
Authority

 Who Will Lead Cleanup?

 

-There is currently no
project lead

The PAC Has Laid out Clear, “Next
Steps”
•
•
•
•
•
•

Identify a project lead
Raise the profile of North Harbour
Provide clear information about toxicity and health effects
Be positive, not adversarial
Reach out to the Port Authority
Reach out to Potential Champions for Cleanup like the City
of Thunder Bay
• Reach out to surrounding landowners (Shipyards,
Wilderness North)
• Provide much more information to the public about North
Harbour on a very regular basis

  



LAKE SUPERIOR RESEARCH AND INFORMATION NETWORK