Sydney Tar Ponds Remediation —Experience to China Fan Liu & Ken Bryson Wuhan University, China & Cape Breton University, Canada

Location of Sydney Cape Breton Nova Scotia Canada

Overview on Tar Ponds Issue Sydney Tar Ponds traces its root to the beginning of the 20th century. The consolidation of several coal mines in Sydney and the construction of a steel plant spelled prosperity for the area and gradually the people there grew to depend on steel, coal, and fishing for their livelihood At the centre of that prosperity was the Sydney Steel Co.(SYSCO). For almost a century, few of local people could have known that it also spelled serious health problems and environmental disaster.

Impact of Tar Ponds Sydney Tar Ponds are divided into three major sites, which are the Tar Ponds (north, south and cooling), the Coke Ovens and municipal landfill More than 700,000 tones of toxic sediments including PCBs(polychlorinated biphenyls), PAHs, hydrocarbon compounds (HC), coal tar, coal dust inside the ponds The Coke Ovens emissions contains almost 560,000 tones of contaminated soil The toxicity tests showed high levels of chemicals (higher above CCME (Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment) guidelines) Nova Scotia has the highest rates of cancer in Canada Cape Breton has the highest rates of cancer in NS

Photos of Sydney Tar Ponds Waste Places

Photos of Sydney Tar Ponds Used Production Today’s Pollution

Sydney Tar Ponds Remediation Remediation project dates back to the 1980s, late Long-term debate: resident VS. government Finally, Government of Canada and Nova Scotia had announced a $400 million cleanup plan in January 2007 Technology Choice: Tar Ponds—solidification and stabilization Coke Ovens—bioremediation(land farming) Then, the area will be covered with a plastic sheet, soil and grass for undetermined future use.

STS Way of Thinking Site remediation was used to be a job for engineers, but it includes cost, timeframe, quality, risk, scope, partnerships, resources and communications etc. right now, it becomes a more complex process. Applying STS approach to the solution of local problems. STS Approach: A discussion from 6 perspectives to indicate what has been brought to the earth and mankind by science and technology, especially by the modern industry. The connection between science and technology is negotiated by social agreement and social action. The approach generates an historical, cultural, social, political, economic, environmental and ethical analysis of the Tar Ponds on families and groups in the Sydney area.

InterdisciplinaryPerspective Interdisciplinary Perspective Culture Refers to the set of attitudes, beliefs, feelings, knowledge, and values we bring to a study focus Economy refers to structures and processes used to meet basic survival needs. Society comprised of all group interactions such as families, associations, and institutions.

Interdisciplinary Perspective Interdisciplinary Perspective Political addresses the society’s structures and processes for conflict management. Law is an essential component of this structure Environment I ncludes resources and eco-systems Ethic Rights of Human trade off Rights of Nature Using of technology must be followed by the rhythm of nature

(1)Government Attitude: The government should respond, but not evade, palter, nor deceive the people. Public should be brought into the decision-making process! Finance: budget should cover salary of workers as well as experts, education fees in advertising, equipment, travel, building and administration Responsibility: should be effective, efficient and well- designed while risk and conflict emerge. Different levels of governments undertake tasks at different aspects! Experience

(2)Community Community participation is vital to the success of the project All of us are not outside the environment, hurting it is hurting our bodies! Rights: local residents should be entitled the rights to fight for their safe living conditions Obligation: participate in remediation produces participate in JAG group Experience

(3) what has JAG accomplished? JAG is a NGO but supported by Government—Bridge across community and official. The mission of JAG is 'to educate, involve and empower the community, through partnerships, to determine and implement acceptable solutions JAG is intended to establish a governance system to encourage members of the community and representatives in all aspects of the process through assessment to final remediation There are less organizations existing in China as JAG does and most decisions are made by the government! Experience

What China should do Industrial pollution remediation is a complicated project. It's indispensable to collect the successful cases around world especially from developed countries. China should conduct a nationwide surveys concerned with industrial pollution. It is suggested to choose some major areas and river basins. In regard to similar industrial pollution remediation left by steel plant in China, we can imitate Tar Ponds' construction activities, namely establishment of construction site, control of groundwater and surface water, removal of selected contaminated soils, treatment of other contaminated soil on- site, treatment of wastewater, restoration of site-surface, transportation of materials on and off-site, and transfer of contaminated materials to the incinerator.

Related monitoring system should be integrated. Paying emphasis on the pollution of heavy metal, a “Comprehensive Implementation Draft on Heavy Metal Pollution ”should be formulated. we can conclude that an organization operated mainly non- governmentally, but supported by government partly is so important, that NGO and volunteer groups might have a critical role In the aspect of pollution treatment and technological research, the contact between environmental pollution research institutions and universities at home and abroad should be enhanced; the investment on research and development should be increased. What China should do

The reinforcement of environmental assessment should be enhanced. We should change our guideline of “treatment the first, prevention the second”. With the principle of taking prevention into first consideration, we should check the emergence of health risk from its sources. The analysis of health risk assessment caused by environmental pollution and the environmental root for human disease should be conducted. A long-term database related to diseases should be founded. To the people who have suffered diseases caused by environmental risk, compensation and medical treatment should be enhanced. What China should do

Location of Wuhan

Wuhan Iron and Steel Corporation(WISCO) The whole area Toxic waste-water into Fish Pond directly Wasted Lakes

Sydney Tar Ponds is a tremendous tragedy to people of Cape Breton as well as people of Canada. Environmental remediation is not only a task but also a chance for sustainable development. Only sustainable development is the ultimate road of future development, both humanity and ecosystem. Pollution may not be avoided since using technology, but, if all of us treat nature as ourselves, it won’t such serious. No matter Canada or China, or any parts of the world, a beautiful and peaceful picture of society is within our reach. Conclusion

Related Information Sydney Tar Ponds Agency(STPA), was founded and is managing the cleanup on behalf of the three levels of government (municipal, provincial, and federal). JAG Group, Elizabeth May’s book

Thanks for your attention!