This Week at the Stacks

Oct 21 2009

2009-10-26T11:44:00.003-04:00

Arcelor Mittal (Dofasco) has applied for permission to delay meeting the province's new air quality standards. I guess this is a picture of why. Rather ironic since Saturday Oct 24 was a worldwide day of action requesting governments to set 350 particles per million as the goal in reducing carbon content in our air.

When Winds Gust ...

2009-04-28T17:20:00.002-04:00

It was quite a storm which rolled through our city Friday evening. Here's what those winds whipped up and dumped on the Beach Strip. Residents were wiping grey dust from food and surfaces even inside their homes. Analysis is still being done, but so far there are indications that the toxic particulate levels in the cloud were exponentially higher than the provincial standard. See the related article in today's Hamilton Spectator.

January 27, 2009 1:50 pm

2009-01-29T15:45:00.002-05:00

Arcelor-Mittal's Meltshop ... AGAIN!!!!!

Jan 22, 2009 12:10 pm

2009-01-29T15:36:00.004-05:00

US Steel's coke oven stack #7

Cutting Scrap

2008-12-31T11:58:00.004-05:00

Scenes like this are common at Poscor / Triple M's Parkdale Ave scrapyard when they are cutting up scrap.

Dec 12, 2008

2008-12-31T11:57:00.003-05:00

Dec 11 2008, 2 pm

2008-12-17T10:33:00.002-05:00

Fri Sept 12, High Noon

2008-09-15T14:57:00.002-04:00

These shots were taken from Sherman Avenue North. We're pretty sure this is part of US Steel, but not sure what part of the plant it is. Even though the photographer had not passed the gates of the plant, a Port Authority staffer came along and asked the person to leave Sherman Ave North as it is Port Authority property. He said that they are extra sensitive to people with cameras as they could be terrorists, although he acknowledged that he knew this person wasn't one. Do you think terrorism was really the issue???

US Steel turns Hamilton red

2008-09-08T14:24:00.003-04:00

Homes in Hamilton have been having a lot of reddish fallout land on their siding etc and discolour it. Hate to think about what it is doing to our lungs. Here are two picture from Thurs Sept 4 and another (the last one) from Fri Sept 5 which show the source of the problem ...

Aug 31 2008 - US Steel

2008-09-01T21:32:00.002-04:00

This from Sunday Aug 31. Taken at Sherman Ave and Burlington St. at about 1:05 pm. It was coming out very black, then a huge plume of white (steam) was set off to cover it up.

Aug 28, 2:50 pm

2008-08-29T09:28:00.003-04:00

Arcelor Mittal's meltshop once again.

Aug 21 11:30 am

2008-08-21T23:15:00.003-04:00

Here's what we sent Burlington way today. This was taken along Eastport Drive. We're quite the neighbours, eh? Once again, this was coming from our industrial area ...

"No Breathing Room; National Illness Costs of Air Pollution"

2008-08-20T17:27:00.003-04:00

Click on the title of this article to read the Canadian Medical Association's recent summary report.

Iron Oxide from Arcelor Mittal Dofasco

2008-08-15T09:39:00.002-04:00

It seems to be happening daily now! This was from around 3 pm on Thurs Aug 14. Check out the front page article in the Hamilton Spectator "Furnace Fallout Steams Councillor" Fri Aug 15

Thurs Aug 7 around 8 pm

2008-08-15T09:31:00.002-04:00

This one even floatd over Ivor Wynne Stadium during a game - we all thought it was a thunder cloud!

Another Black Cloud - August 13

2008-08-14T20:37:00.004-04:00

These are shots from yesterday late afternoon. The culprit this time: Arcelor Mittal Dofasco. The first picture was taken at 5:45 pm, the second at 5:50 pm. Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of the brutal US Steel emissions from the evening of Thursday Aug 7. Kids in pools were covered with sticky soot!

July 31, 2008, 7:50 am

2008-07-31T12:12:00.002-04:00

Sure is good to read about the massive profits US Steel has been making over the last two quarters. Perhaps they might consider investing in some equipment which would finally put an end to emissions like this, which drifted across residential neighbourhoods and then out over Lake Ontario this morning.

Friday, June 20 3:15 pm

2008-06-23T10:25:00.003-04:00

Arcelor Mittal (Dofasco) letting it go out of their blast furnace again.

May 22, 2008, 7:30 pm

2008-05-23T11:57:00.002-04:00

This is from today, around 7:30pm. These same stacks seem to be doing this a lot lately.

Thursday May 1, 2008 5:50 pm

2008-05-01T21:44:00.004-04:00

Arcelor Mittal Dofasco

US Steel (Stelco)

Apr 29, 2008 3:45 pm

2008-04-29T21:32:00.001-04:00

Arcelor Mittal Dofasco

Thursday Apr 24, 2008 - 11:00 am

2008-04-25T19:19:00.001-04:00

More Courtesy of Arcelor Mittal Dofasco

2008-04-15T13:31:00.004-04:00

Monday Apr 14, before 10:30 am. Incident lasted at least 1/2 hr

Enough is Enough!

2008-04-03T15:50:00.004-04:00

This is becoming a regular thing – nasty emissions from the Arcelor Mittal / Dofasco meltshop. This one was taken at about 2:20 pm today (Apr 3, 2008). Maybe we should join in with Lorna and the others protesting next time (see http://thespec.com/article/348902) - let's get a mass movement going. Enough is enough!!!!

The Weekend of the Big Race

2008-04-01T11:56:00.005-04:00

If the Around the Bay Race is the oldest road race in North America, you would think it would be honoured appropriately, at the very least by limiting emissions for the weekend for the sake of the runners. As the next few posts will show, however, this was not the case. The tall, black-banded US Steel stack (coke battery 7?) smoked frequently and for long periods of time. There were periodic plumes from Dofasco as well.

3:10 pm

3:14 pm

4:19 pm

Saturday March 29

2008-04-01T11:50:00.007-04:00

4:58 pm

5:00 pm

5:05 pm

6:10 pm

Stelco 1:36 p.m. Saturday March 29

2008-04-01T11:40:00.001-04:00

March 27, 2008, 5:20 pm

2008-03-28T22:20:00.001-04:00

Monday, March 24, 2008 1:30 p.m

2008-03-25T14:53:00.002-04:00

Monday March 24, 2008 6:15 p.m

2008-03-25T14:51:00.002-04:00

Monday, March 24, 1:30 p.m

2008-03-25T14:49:00.001-04:00

March 22, 2008 4:10 p.m.

2008-03-25T14:47:00.001-04:00

These emissions were steady throughout much of the afternoon.

Good Friday????

2008-03-23T22:46:00.003-04:00

5:40 pm March 21, 2008

These photos were taken from the Beach Strip in Hamilton looking across Eastwood Drive toward Dofasco Arcelor Mittal. So much for their recent pledges to clean things up. When will charges finally be laid by the Ministry of the Environment? Enough is enough already!

March 10, 2008 - Arcelor Mittal Meltshop

2008-03-11T16:49:00.003-04:00

The same thing from last week, but instead of one big one, today Dofasco let out about ten smaller ones. All had that red colour as in the Spec from last week.
Occurred around 4:30 pm

Dofasco's (Arcelor Mittal's) meltshop

2008-03-11T16:38:00.005-04:00

February 20, 2008, 1:31 pm

January 7, 2008, 12:58 pm

July 29, 8 pm

2007-07-30T10:12:00.000-04:00

These were taken just before 8 pm, but these Dofasco stacks were belching most of the day. The build-up downwind on what was otherwise a very clear day was blatantly evident.

July 5, 2007, 2pm

2007-07-19T16:31:00.000-04:00

This was coming from the stack with the arrow pointing to it below.

July 3, 2007, 8:15pm to 8:45 pm

2007-07-19T16:27:00.000-04:00

June 29, 2007, 8:00 pm

2007-06-30T19:12:00.000-04:00

Fallout

2007-06-19T15:44:00.000-04:00

Here's what it looked like as the coal came down over Beach Blvd and then moved out over Lake Ontario.
This isn't the first time people in the area have suffered from coal fallout. Here's what happened to one resident's siding this past February.

Not us!!!!

2007-06-19T14:12:00.000-04:00

Did you see the article in The Spectator on Saturday? Here it is: "'Coal storm' blows in"
Stelco and Dofasco are trying to deny that it was their coal being blown all over the northeast of the city on Friday June 8, from about 4:30 until 5:00 pm. But check out these pics! Oops! Check out the earlier article as well: "Beach residents take photos"

The results along Beach Blvd.

June 11, 2007 7:39 pm

2007-06-13T13:12:00.000-04:00

Smog Alert? Who Cares? Let's just keep blasting away!

2007-05-30T19:22:00.000-04:00

May 30, 2006, 8:56 am

May 30, 2006 4:49 pm

Same stack, all day long, full throttle. No wonder the air was almost impenetrable downwind. Why can't they ease up at least on a smog alert day? The rest of us try to ...

May 29, 2007 6:20 pm

2007-05-29T20:26:00.000-04:00

April 29, 2007, 3:00 pm

2007-05-01T09:57:00.000-04:00

Columbian Chemicals again

When the Wind Blows

2007-05-01T09:53:00.000-04:00

April 23, 2007 12:00 noon

The stacks aren't the only problem! Imagine this swirling through your neighbourhood ...

Happy Earth Day!

2007-04-21T23:08:00.000-04:00

Almost looked like the mills were taking it easy on us today in honour of Earth Day:

April 21, 2007 10:32 am

Quiet sinter stack, best I've seen things for a long time. Even so, look at the smog build up downwind.

10:45 am - more buildup, even though it seems there are minimal emissions

2:12 pm

A Glorious Day!

2007-04-20T09:29:00.000-04:00

Apr 20, 2007 8 am

What a fantastic spring day - as long as you don't live in the east end!

While we slept ...

2007-04-20T09:25:00.000-04:00

April 19, 2007 10 pm

These emissions were drifting over the east end.

April 19, 2007, 5:19 pm

2007-04-19T17:10:00.000-04:00

April 10, 2007 11:24 am

2007-04-10T14:32:00.000-04:00

This ship spewed like this for about ten minutes, not an uncommon occurrence in our port.

April 9, 2007 6:00 pm

2007-04-10T14:26:00.000-04:00

How to Destroy a Beautiful Day

2007-03-29T16:57:00.000-04:00

Have a look at what was pouring out almost all day today. At night it's even worse, consistently, but I haven't set a tripod up yet to prove it. And we wonder why we get completely smogged up when there is an inversion like this past Tuesday! Has anyone experienced any health issues this week? My daughter had to stay home from school on Wednesday with a very sore throat ...

March 29, 2007 3:14-3:17 pm

March 29, 2007 3:39-3:41 pm

March 28 2007 7:50 am

2007-03-29T16:56:00.000-04:00

Ahh, the beauties of Spring ...

2007-03-24T22:26:00.000-04:00

My apologies to everyone for not posting any photos recently - other priorities simply crowded this blog out for a while. Hopefully I'll be able to get to it more regularly over the next months. Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to the day when it won't be necessary ...

Here are two shots from Friday evening - the emissions were pouring out at this rate for at least half an hour - from the build-up of smog downwind, likely much longer.

March 23, 7:13 pm

Happy New Year!

2007-01-01T14:49:00.000-05:00

Here's to hoping that we won't see (or breathe) as much of this stuff this year!

Dec 16, 2006 3:56 pm

2007-01-01T14:46:00.000-05:00

Here's an Idea ...

2006-12-10T00:31:00.000-05:00

Industry apparently prefers to be self-monitoring. But are they willing to enforce consequences on offenders? What if every time there were problem emissions of any kind, every industry around the Bay were fined heavily by the government? Companies would then be much more motivated to identify the offending party and pressure them to change their behaviour. They would be much swifter to take action if there were this type of incentive. Not fair to those who are being environmentally responsible? They could always get their fine money back by sending their bill to the company that is really responsible. That way they would not only be self-monitoring, they would be self-enforcing.

Been a while

2006-12-08T22:25:00.000-05:00

Haven't had a chance to add anything for quite a while. Sorry. Here are a couple of shots from a friend.

The first two pictures below were taken Dec 3, 2006 at 9:07 and 9:14 am respectively. The second one was taken from Clare Ave. The emissions from this Dofasco stack continued throughout the whole day, going in all directions, but primarily toward the Beach strip.

The above picture is at Bitumar, on Eastport Drive. Note the damage to the top of the tank, caused by an explosion. People who live within 200 metres of this facility were assured, prior to construction, that there was no danger of such accidents taking place. What if the next explosion is larger?

Happy Thanksgiving

2006-10-08T21:14:00.000-04:00

It was a glorious day, but did you notice how smoggy it was by the end? The emissions in these pics look fine at first, but check out the haze accumulating from them. After a whole day of this, the blanket of toxins hovering on the city was one thing I was not thankful for ...

Oct 8 2006 9:42

Oct 8 2006 10:43
Oct 8 2006 10:54

Do ya think?

2006-09-27T11:26:00.000-04:00

Been busy, so haven't posted anything for a while. Take a look at this birdfeeder though, from a home just north of Centre Mall. It was cleaned a week before this picture was taken. Why bother when your "neighbour" just keeps on messing it up like this. And check out the pool cover - the stuff won't come off. These shots were taken Thurs Sept 21.

Now take a look at what is coming out of the stacks just behind these homes. (The homes in questions are just to the bottom left of these pictures). The shots were taken Tues Sept 26 from 2:40 to 2:46 pm.

Do you think there might be a connection? Can you imagine what would happen if the tables were turned, if someone from this neighbourhood were doing this to the homes and cars of the owners of these industries?

Thurs Aug 31, 2006

2006-08-31T18:29:00.000-04:00

Every time I looked this afternoon the emissions from these two stacks were like this or worse - I just didn't have time to take any pictures until a few minutes ago.
6:15pm

Aug 21 2006

2006-08-25T16:56:00.000-04:00

MacMaster Professor Brian McCarry has analyzed samples of the soot which has been plaguing our city of late and has concluded that it did not come from Columbian Chemicals. There aren't that many other players out there - surely some very basic detective work could determine those responsible if only Industry and the Ministry of the Environment would stop passing the buck as to who is responsible to take action. Here are a couple more hints as to where one might begin to sniff around ...
7:32 am
7:34 am

Look left, Look right ...

2006-08-09T17:17:00.000-04:00

Both shots taken from the same location within seconds of each other (Aug 9, 2006 9:57 am)- just a little shift to the right ...

Google is saying that my blog has spam characteristics. Not sure what that means. They say they are going to check it out, and then send me an email to my gmail account. But when I try to log into that account, it won't recognize my password. When I go through their process for verifying the password, it asks me a security wuestion which I did not create. When I go further, they ask for a verification code, but I never received one of those. Anyone have any advice? I'd really like to not have this blog shut down ...

Aug 9, 2006 Cont'd

2006-08-09T17:00:00.000-04:00

Here are more shots showing the contrasts referred to in the previous post
9:51 am
9:53 am
9:54 am
9:55 am

Aug 9, 2006: Smoggin' up a Beautiful Day

2006-08-09T15:52:00.000-04:00

It's amazing the difference a change in perspective makes. Today, from ground level, the emissions don't seem extreme at all, just about normal in fact. But that's the problem - look at the difference when contrasted with crisp, clean air - air the way it should be ...

9:43 am
9:44 am

9:48 am

9:49
9:51

Stelco Coke & Sinter Stacks, Aug 3, 2006

2006-08-05T11:50:00.000-04:00

1:15 pm
1:16 pm
1:17 pm
1:17 pm

Stelco Coke Stack, August 1, 2006

2006-08-05T11:31:00.000-04:00

Do you think Stelco might also be contributing to the Black Soot problem?
6:20 pm

6:21 pm

6:46 pm

Mystery Source of Black Soot

2006-08-05T11:04:00.000-04:00

These shots were taken Monday, July 31 at 2:54 pm. Check out the
series of stories in The Hamilton Spectator on black soot plaguing Hamilton neighbourhoods (just click on the above title to go to one of the articles. To read the rest do a search on The Spec's website for "soot"). Sorry for the sarcasm, but do you think that emissions like these from Columbian Chemicals just might be related? Funny how the company had nothing "unusual" to report. Should that be comforting to us?

UPDATE Aug 9: I just learned that Columbian Chemicals did know of this emission, that it lasted for 10 mins and that they then shut down the stack for 2 days while they fixed the problem. Well done!

July 6, 2006 8:02 am

2006-07-06T10:16:00.000-04:00

A friend sent me these this morning. Stelco's plume is coming right down on the Beach Strip, while Dofasco's is just missing it. A great way to start the day for Beach Strip residents!

June 26, 2006 5:55pm and 6:48 pm

2006-06-26T21:09:00.000-04:00

It would be nice if it would let up for even a day or so. It's just brutal when the wind direction brings it all onto us, but then again, our city is producing it, it's hardly fair when others have to breathe it.

June 25, 2006 12:30 pm

2006-06-26T21:03:00.000-04:00

When the plume is coming towards you, it is more difficult to see, but not to smell. From the corner of Sherman and Gage to the corner of Burlington and Victoria, and perhaps even further, the air wreaked like vomit and you could feel the effect in the back of your throat and sinuses. Anyone experience headaches and extreme irritability Sunday afternoon?

June 23, 2006 7:57 pm

2006-06-23T21:12:00.000-04:00

June 23, 2006 5:19 pm

2006-06-23T10:31:00.000-04:00

According to today's Hamilton Spectator, Stelco is expecting massive profits over the next year. Perhaps some could be invested in effective filters?

June 19, 2006 7:25-7:41 pm

2006-06-20T10:21:00.000-04:00

Classic "fumigation" plume. The worst kind (see Enironment Hamilton's Stackwatch page) and it's coming right down on the beach strip community

June 16, 2006 5:25 pm

2006-06-20T10:18:00.000-04:00

June 15, 2006 6:49 pm

2006-06-15T21:33:00.000-04:00

June 15, 2006 3:40 pm

2006-06-15T17:21:00.000-04:00

June 14, 2006 6:55pm

2006-06-15T17:18:00.000-04:00

June 14 2006 4:46 pm

2006-06-15T17:16:00.000-04:00

June 6, 2006 3:21 pm

2006-06-15T17:01:00.000-04:00

June 10, 2006 2:06 - 2:08 pm

2006-06-15T16:54:00.000-04:00