Closures remain in place at Aamjiwnaang First Nation as high benzene levels continue

Many buildings at Aamjiwnaang First Nation near Sarnia, Ont. will be closed for a third day in a row Wednesday.

The decision by local council comes as elevated benzene levels from nearby INEOS Styrolution continue to be detected.

Affected buildings include the band office, education administration and public works, CIDL and church buildings, according to a notice.

“It’s definitely frustrating, it just keeps happening,” said community member Carrie Plain, who sits on the Aamjiwnaang Youth Council.

The 27 year old is the mother of a toddler and worries for his health.

“I take my son outside now and want to go outside to be able to play or go for walks, and then to find out afterwards that these levels were super high. I could have just been making him worse. He wouldn’t have been able to tell me. He’s too young,” she explained.

INEOS has been shut down for maintenance, and was ordered by the province last week to suspend operations. Local environmental activist Ada Lockridge said the ongoing problems have been impacting quality of life in the community.

The Aamjwnaang First Nation band office, located near Sarnia, Ont., remains closed as of May 7, 2024 due to high levels of benzene. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)

“Everybody’s sad because they can’t go out and enjoy the normal day’s routine. You know the sun is shining, it’s a beautiful day, and there’s a lot of things we just can’t do anymore,” she said.

While the company has been criticized in the past for its lack of communication, on Monday INEOS issued no fewer than eight notifications to the community with benzene readings. It also made a point of saying it is not the only company in this area producing benzene emissions.

Some elders said they’re upset the problems haven’t been resolved, but concede that the concerns reach far beyond the operations of one company.

“He sits outside his home, we tell him it’s dangerous because of the benzene, but he’s used to being out there,” said Annabelle Cornelius, referring to her brother Wilson Plain Sr., 84. “Then for the children, it’s worse for them because their playground is here and they just built that playground.”

Community members are being advised to exercise caution in avoiding the baseball diamond and playground areas, according to council. 

Youth Council member Carrie Plain is seen walking on Virgil Avenue in Aamjwnaang First Nation, located near Sarnia, Ont., on May 7, 2024. (Bryan Bicknell/CTV News London)

 

What is benzene? 

Benzene is a chemical that is a colorless or light yellow liquid at room temperature. It has a sweet odor and is highly flammable.

According to the Government of Canada, benzene is used in a variety of ways that result in it entering the Canadian environment.

Vehicle emissions are the major source of benzene release to the environment.

Releases of benzene result in measurable concentrations in the various media to which humans and other organisms may be exposed.

In Canada, the primary source of human exposure to benzene is ambient and indoor air, food and drinking water contribute only minor amounts to the daily intake of benzene.

— With files from CTV News London's Kristylee Varley