Report a spill

How do I report a spill?

You must immediately report a spill to the 24-Hour Spill Report Line:

I've reported the spill. What else should I do?

When a spill occurs, the responsible party must:

  • Assess the health and safety hazards and identify the substance spilled.
  • Stop the spill at the source if at all possible and safe to do so.
  • Notify any members of the public that may be affected by the spill.
  • Clean up spill and impacted area.

What are reportable quantities for spills in the NWT?

Note: L = litre; kg = kilogram; PCB = Polychlorinated Biphenyls; ppm = parts per million

Substance

Reportable Quantity

Explosives

  • Compressed gas (toxic/corrosive)
  • Infectious substances
  • Sewage and Wastewater (unless otherwise authorized)
  • Radioactive materials
  • Unknown substance
Any amount

Compressed gas (Flammable)      

  • Compressed gas (Non-corrosive, non-flammable)
Any amount of gas from containers with a capacity grater than 100L
Flammable liquid ≥100 L

Flammable solid

  • Substances liable to spontaneous combustion
  • Water reactant substances
≥ 25 kg
Oxidizing substances ≥ 50 L or 50 kg

Organic peroxides

  • Environmentally hazardous substances intended for disposal
≥1 L or 1 kg

Toxic substances

≥ 5 L or 5 kg

Corrosive substances

  • Miscellaneous products, substances or organisms
≥ 5 L or 5 kg
PCB mixtures of 5 or more ppm ≥ 0.5 L or 0.5 kg
Other contaminants--for example, crude oil, drilling fluid, produced water,
waste or spent chemicals, used or waste oil, vehicle fluids, wastewater.
≥ 100 L or 100 kg

Sour natural gas (i.e., contains H2S)

Sweet natural gas
Uncontrolled release or sustained flow of 10 minutes or more

Flammable liquid

Vehicle fluid

≥ 20 L

When released on a frozen water body that is being used as a working surface

Reported releases or potential releases of any size that:

  1. are near or in an open water body;
  2. are near or in a designated sensitive environment or habitat;
  3. Pose an imminent threat to human health or safety; or
  4. Pose an imminent threat to a listed species at risk or its critical habitat
Any amount