Inco told to clean up houses

Ontario’s Ministry of Environment has ordered Inco to clean 25 residential properties polluted by its nickel refinery in Port Colborne.

The decision is consistent with a draft order issued in October 2001, according to which the company is compeled to clean properties that are found to have “unacceptable nickel levels in the soil.” The order applied to properties with nicklel contamination exceeding 8,000 parts per million.

However, Inco says the order may require a wider clean-up than is necessary and so is considering appealing portions of the ruling.

In March 2001, the major was hit with a $750-million class action lawsuit by residents of Port Colborne who claimed they were being exposed to cancer-causing nickel oxides.

Inco says its voluntary plan meets almost all requirements under the order, and began cleaning up some of the properties last year.

Only five of the 25 properties have been cleaned, because Inco and residents at the 20 remaining properties disagree about the way the program is being conducted.