New spill rules tag transport companies with response, recovery costs in B.C.
VICTORIA — British Columbia has introduced pollution prevention regulations to hold transport companies moving petroleum products across the province responsible for the costs of responding to and cleaning up spills.
Environment Minister George Heyman said Friday the new regulations will take affect at the end of this month and apply to pipeline, railway and truck company owners and transporters moving more than 10,000 litres of liquid petroleum products.
The rules increase responsibility, transparency and accountability for operators who transport potentially dangerous products through B.C., he said.
“I would hope that business doesn’t believe that individual members of the public through their tax dollars should be responsible for cleaning up spills they incur in the course of doing business and making a profit.”