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Quebec adopts the regulation on the traceability of contaminated soils

Quebec adopts the regulation on the traceability of contaminated soils

This new regulation is of paramount importance to counter illegal dumping of contaminated soil, said Benoit Charette, Minister of the Environment and the Fight against Climate Change.

In April 2019, Quebec promised to put in place a regulation that would prevent illegal dumping of contaminated land. But this was long overdue, to the chagrin of citizens and municipalities.

Residents who recently confided in Radio-Canada deplored that trucks come to dump soil near their home, on a site that is not designated to receive contaminated soil.

But the regulation adopted by Quebec must put a stop to these spills thanks to rigorous and compulsory monitoring of truck movements.

The Traces Québec system, piloted by the Attestra organization, must allow their geolocation in real time to their destination, i.e. a place designated for receive, treat, enhance or bury excavated soils.

Thanks to this system, assures the government, it will be possible to detect irregularities and of target the land that should be inspected.

The Regulation respecting the traceability of excavated contaminated soils must be gradually in force from November 1, and can be broken down into three phases:

  • the first targets large-scale projects and those at risk of illegal management;
  • the second concerns medium-sized sites;
  • the third and last includes all the sites.

While waiting for the regulation to come into force, the Traces Québec system will still be available at the end of the summer. Businesses and municipalities wishing to use it on a voluntary basis will be able to do so, specifies the ministry.

More than 3 million metric tonnes of excavated contaminated soil are moved each year to sites for treatment or burial, according to data from Quebec.

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