On Friday June 13, Aamjiwnaang First Nation’s Band Council issued an Evacuation Notice recommending members evacuate certain areas of the community due to high reported emissions of benzene.
Due to reported high benzene levels at the Ada Lockridge and AFN Sportscenter monitors, they are recommending an evacuation of members living between Churchill Road and the first set of tracks on Tashmoo Ave.
Residents in this area were asked to evacuate to the Community Centre. Other community members were advised to exercise caution and avoid this area.
Chief Janelle Nahmabin of Aamjiwnaang First Nation says that “roughly 20-25 people were in the evacuation zone and several stayed. Some may have felt reassured knowing that additional monitoring was occurring.”
An additional mobile monitor was deployed to this area to determine if an additional evacuation is required.
As of Monday morning benzene levels peaked again at 23.3 ug/m3, according to Nahmabin, but then subsided.
Aamjiwnaang has been in a State of Emergency since April 25, 2024, due to consistently elevated levels of benzene in the community. These emissions readings are only the latest incident in a years-long ordeal regarding high benzene exposure in the community.
In response to this latest event, Aamjiwnaang’s Band Council is once again calling on all levels of government to take immediate action to protect the health, safety and well-being of Aamjiwnaang and its members.
Monitoring and modelling analysis undertaken by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) in 2024 confirmed that INEOS Styrolution was the primary source of benzene affecting Aamjiwnaang First Nation. In response the ministry introduced regulations for INEOS to control, monitor, and report benzene levels.
Nahmabin cannot say for sure if INEOS was again the source for the elevated benzene levels. She says, “It may very well have been INEOS due to the information we have received about their decommissioning work. However, we were informed (there would be) no offsite impact.”
Benzene is found naturally in crude oil and is widely used in the production of other chemicals and plastics, such as the styrene polymers produced by INEOS Styrolutions. A known carcinogen, benzene can cause a range of adverse health effects, including blood disorders, immune system problems, and neurological issues.
Aamjiwnaang First Nation has been dealing with the adverse effects of Sarnia’s Chemical Valley for decades. As one of the most polluted places in Canada, this cluster of industrial chemical factories has a disproportionate effect on the communities of Aamjiwnaang, which is in such close proximity, and is considered a prime example of environmental racism.