On September 1, 4422236 Canada Inc. was fined $260,000 after pleading guilty to two counts of violating the PCB Regulations and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.
An investigation conducted by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) enforcement officers revealed that 4422236 Canada Inc., owner of the Baltex Building (in Montréal), was using a transformer containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at a concentration greater than 500 ppm, in September 2018. The investigation also found that, as of June 2019, the company had not complied with the environmental protection compliance order issued by an enforcement officer in November 2018, requiring it to dispose of the transformer.
PCBs have been widely used for decades, particularly as refrigerants and lubricants for certain types of electrical devices like transformers and capacitors. PCBs are toxic, and measures under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 have been taken to control their use, import, manufacture, storage, and release into the environment.
