Big oil wants to dump toxic tailings into the Athabasca River

By Alienor Rougeot, Program Manager, Climate & Energy, Environmental Defence

Tailings lakes are large industry-created reservoirs that contain wastewater from oil production. For decades, oil companies have been prohibited from releasing tailings into the environment because they are toxic, harmful to wildlife and cause land and water pollution. Now, the federal government is planning to develop regulations that would allow oil companies to dump toxic tailings water into the Athabasca River.

Several First Nations and Métis communities have raised the alarm about the risks that toxic tailings lakes created by industry present to their health and ecosystems, yet the tailings lakes continue to grow.

Instead of addressing the growth and leaks of those lakes, the government is developing regulations that could allow for more pollution.

Toxic tailings in Alberta require immediate and urgent attention. Will you join us in asking the federal government not to allow industry to dump unsafe substances in the Athabasca River? 

Oil producers want to treat and release the water from the tailings ponds, as a cheap way to clean up the mess they create. Yet they have not been able to provide evidence that tailings can be treated safely. Until treatment technology is proven to deliver consistently safe water for the communities that rely on it, release regulations should not be developed.

Take action now and tell the federal government that allowing industry to release tailings water is unsafe for the environment and for people — and is not a solution to the issue of toxic tailings.