Oil spill in Edmonton causes residents concern

A small oil spill from a decommissioned pipe in Edmonton, Canada, caused residents huge concern when they noticed the clean up operation but were not given any information about the severity of the impact of the spill.

The spill, which was only around 2 barrels or 300 litres of oil, spilled into Edmonton Creek on the 23rd of September. The pipe in question was owned by Gibson Energy, an oil distribution company.

The Energy Resources Board, in response to public criticism, stated that there was no public warning issued because they only need to be issued when there’s a “public impact”.

The leak happened at Gibson energy’s holding facility. The company notified all the appropriate bodies and began the cleanup operation straight away.

Rachel Notley the new Democratic Party environment critic stated:

"The public has the right to know what's going on right from the outset,

"To say after the fact that there was no impact so there was no need to let anyone know doesn't ring true. I find it hard to believe that you can dump oil into water that flows into the North Saskatchewan without having some impact."

Oil spills can have a huge impact on the environment. However, having the right type of spill containment and control equipment at hand, can reduce the impact of the spill and save time and money.