Ajax health impact already being assessed, says ministry

NEWS — Health impacts of the proposed Ajax mine will be reviewed under KGHM’s environmental assessment, a Ministry of Environment spokesperson said today.

The response came in the wake of a call by Kamloops physician Dr. Jill Calder for a health study separate and independent from the rest of the studies being done by KGHM.

Calder says the health study should “not be rolled up” with the environmental review.

KGHM spokesperson Robin Bartlett said earlier today the “human health and ecological risk assessment” required by the B.C. Environmental Assessment office is “more in-depth” than a stand-alone health study would be.

She said there are 40 different components to the studies now underway and the company’s application for an environmental assessment certificate is now likely to be delayed past the end of this year.

“We’re going back and looking at all the data.”

In an e-mailed response to The Armchair Mayor, a ministry spokesperson stated a health study is a required part of the Ajax application, including air quality, domestic water quality, and noise and vibration.

The Ajax proposal is subject to a coordinated federal-provincial environment assessment.

“Staff from federal and provincial environment and health agencies (Environment Canada, Health Canada, B.C. Ministry of Environment and Interior Health Authority), as members of the joint working group, are working to ensure that the potential health impacts are properly assessed.

“These agencies will participate in the review of any application for an environmental assessment certificate including providing input on the design of any necessary mitigation measures.”

Bartlett said the study process involves KGHM hiring consultants for various components of its studies. Each study is then checked by a different consultant.

The EA then does its own review of the information submitted.