Melting snow was the cause of an oil spill at the old GM Transmission Plant last weekend, says Ontario’s Ministry of the Environment.
The incident happened on Jan. 12.
Teri Gilbert of the ministry’s Windsor office said General Motors Canada reported an oily discharge from the outdoor waste oil containment area at the facility on Kildare Road.
“They have tanks there,” Gilbert said. “If there’s a spill, there’s a containment area that’s supposed to capture that material.”
Gilbert said that an “outside influence of water” — likely melting snow — caused the containment area to overflow.
The amount of oily water overflow was still being determined on Thursday, but Gilbert said all indications point to the material remaining on-site.
She said city services have checked the combined sewer system and surface water in the area and found no problems.
The on-site cleanup continued Thursday. Gilbert said there have been no complaints from residents or neighbouring property owners.
“We have requested that GM supply us with a report detailing what happened and how they’re going to prevent it in the future,” Gilbert said.
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