An advisory from the Aamjiwnaang Notification System Wednesday morning said several buildings at the First Nation are closed again due to high levels of benzene detected.
The notice said high levels of benzene were reported at Aamijiwnaang's Sportscenter Monitoring Station.
According to the Clean Air Sarnia and Area website benzene levels of 30 micrograms per cubic metre were detected at 5 a.m. on Wednesday.
![A chart shows benzene levels reported at Aamjiwnaang First Nation's Sportscentre on Wednesday, May 29, 2024. Image captured from the CASA [Clean Air Sarnia and Area] public website.](https://media.mynewstoday.ca/i/3qoV4M9K/740)
Buildings in that area, including the First Nation Band Office, blue building, environment building, Child & Family Services Building, education administration building, CIDL, public works and the church will be closed on Wednesday, May 28 and again on Thursday, May 29.
Staff are advised to work from home. Updates will be provided as they become available
This latest closure comes as the federal government announced a two year extension on strict benzene pollution controls on all Sarnia petrochemical companies.
INEOS Styrolution advised the public and industrial partners through Aamjiwnaang's Notification System Wednesday afternoon it was aware of the elevated benzene readings occurring at the offsite community monitor south of its Tashmoo Avenue facility.
"We would like to reassure everyone in the surrounding areas that our onsite monitors during this time did not detect these levels of benzene nor were the benzene readings above 0.021 parts-per-million," INEOS said. "Further, the site is not currently operating process equipment or tanks and there are no benzene emission-producing maintenance activities occurring at the site."
INEOS said it would continue to investigate potential sources of benzene emissions.
"[We] would like to also note that INEOS Styrolution is not the only source of benzene in the area," the company said.