Media Release

For Immediate Release
May 11, 2005

Study Shows Marine Environment is Cleaner
Due to CRD's Source Control Program

Victoria, BC – Mercury, lead and other contaminants are now much less common in the waters off the capital region, thanks, in large part, to the Capital Regional District's (CRD) efforts to work with industry to control substances released into the sewer system. A recent five-year review by Gartner Lee Ltd. on the CRD's Regional Source Control program reveals that levels of six heavy metals in municipal wastewater discharged at Clover and Macaulay points decreased between 36% and 70% from 1996 to 2003.

"This is tremendous news for our marine environment," says Denise Blackwell, Chair of the CRD’s Core Area Liquid Waste Management committee. "It is so gratifying to see the dramatic, positive results of our efforts to control contaminants at their source. In just seven years, we have achieved a 70% decrease in mercury – in large part, due to our work with the dental industry – as well as significant decreases in copper (36%), lead (57%), silver (54%), zinc (38%) and nickel (38%). Notable, too, is the fact that our program has achieved contaminant reductions on par with regions that have had source control programs in place for several decades."

The reductions are largely the result of the development and implementation of 11 codes of practice during the five-year review period. The codes, which acknowledge that reducing contaminants at the source is preferable to treating contamination after the fact, affect over 2,500 capital region businesses in industries ranging from food services, dentistry and carpet cleaning to dry cleaning, laboratories and automotive repair. These businesses have been key to the success of the program. Working in partnership with the source control program, businesses have installed equipment to significantly lower contaminant loadings to the sewer system.

This year, three more codes of practice will come into full effect and a new five-year plan will be presented in the fall.

Contact:
Trevor Smyth
Supervisor, Source Control program
Capital Regional District
250.360.3082