ArcelorMittal Dofasco confirms blast furnace emissions fell on neighbourhood

ArcelorMittal Dofasco confirmed Wednesday that the black grit that fell on a north Hamilton neighbourhood last week came from one of its blast furnaces.

"Tests have confirmed that the operational upset at our No.4 blast furnace on Monday, February 9 did cause localized off-property impact which was a very fine particulate of coke and iron fines," the steel company's spokeswoman Marie Verdun said in an email.

Grenfell Street residents said they saw a black cloud emerge above the steel facility then blow over their homes around 1:45 p.m. that day. Snowbanks, homes and vehicles onGrenfellStreet were coated with a coarse black grit and the area councillor said he received complaints about fallout from as far away aseast Mountain.

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The Ministry of Environment, meanwhile, released the results of its testing that shows the grit was made up of coke and magnetic iron.

GeoffreyKnapper, the Ministry of Environment's district manager for Hamilton, said the substance is "consistent with what wed expect from a blast furnace slip,"but said he still couldnt definitively say it came fromArcelorMittalDofasco.

Knapper said the ministry is waiting for the companys analysis of what happened before it draws a definite link. The ministry's enforcement division will decide whether or not to punish the company for the emissions incident.

Verdun said a 30-second "bleeder pop" whicih is caused by the triggering of a blast furnace's safety valvedue to high pressure in the furnace caused the emissions incident, which the company reported to the environment ministry.

She said the company has offered to help neighbours who were affected by the event.

"Last week our Environment and Public Affairs representatives visited the neighbourhood beside our facilities. Since then, our teams have been working with three neighbours who were impacted by the upset to ensure we help to correct any impact that may have been caused," Verdun said.