Spills and chemical releases can occur over time undetected. They can also occur as a result of immediate events such as oil tank leaks aboveground. When this happens, soil, water and air can become contaminated.

Contamination normally refers to concentrations of chemicals in the soil, water and air that have been determined to exceed acceptable standards for the particular land use.

This section outlines the provincial requirements for the reporting, management and cleanup of contaminated sites.

If and when spills and releases have occurred that cause property to become extensively contaminated, cleanup may be required. Read our FAQ on responsibilties for domestic spill reporting and cleanup.