INEOS Styrolution has expressed its concern to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) about the potential safety risks of a rushed program to destock benzene from its Sarnia site. Benzene is a by-product of gasoline production: removing benzene from gasoline makes automobile emissions safer but must then be dealt with separately. The INEOS facility specializes in converting benzene from local Sarnia businesses into safe, useful products for many industries. Some examples include automotive and medical.
"ECCC has ordered us to empty all benzene from our tanks. This is not a routine procedure and requires meticulous planning. We must establish rigorous protocols, which need approval from multiple regulatory bodies.” said Brian Lucas, Representative, INEOS Styrolution. “While we understand ECCC's urgency, we are clear: safety, not speed, must be the primary consideration."
INEOS Styrolution has today respectfully requested that ECCC allow sufficient time to safely implement the necessary steps in order to fulfil their request.
The company remains committed to the health and safety of the community and its employees. It has always operated within emissions limits set by the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP). Despite significant investments to comply with increasingly stringent emissions limits, the Sarnia site is currently closed due to a sudden and without warning 90% reduction in permissible emissions by MECP. The site will remain closed until INEOS can be sure to meet the dramatically reduced limits.
Recognizing the potential for emissions during tank cleaning, INEOS Styrolution has agreed with MECP to delay these activities until after the Aamjiwnaang First Nation’s (AFN) community event on June 22-23, 2024.
"We made this decision to be considerate of the AFN community and avoid any possible interruptions or safety concerns during their event. We are asking ECCC to grant the same consideration," said Lucas.
About INEOS Styrolution
INEOS Styrolution is the world’s leading styrenics supplier, with a high-performing portfolio of styrene monomer, polystyrene, ABS and advanced styrenic products. With more than 90 years of innovation in materials science, INEOS Styrolution is focused on customer satisfaction with differentiated solutions that provide a competitive edge as well as investments in technology that enable closed loop recyclability for styrenics while reducing our carbon emissions. INEOS Styrolution applications can be found in many everyday products across multiple industries: including automotive, electronics, household, construction, healthcare, packaging, and toys/sports. Operating 17 production sites in nine countries, the company is a wholly owned subsidiary of INEOS Group Limited and employs approximately 3,000 people. Sales were 4.5 billion euros in 2023. www.ineos-styrolution.com
About Sarnia Site
The Sarnia styrene facility was built by the Canadian Polymer Crown company in 1943 with a capacity of 50 MMlbs/yr. Over the years, the site continued to expand its footprint under different ownership structures to ultimately be wholly owned by INEOS in 2014. The site has a nameplate capacity of 430kta of styrene monomer and employs ~80 employees and a large number of contractors.
Media Contact (EMEA / APAC)
Dr. Ralf Leinemann
ralf.leinemann@ineos.com +49 69 509550-1366
Media Contact (AMERICAS)
April Ludwikowski
april.ludwikowski@ineos.com 1-331-212-5757