Spills are no thrill

>>

by GEORGE MADDUX

It might be bad to spit in a swimming pool, but it's much worse to spit in a bath, right? Then consider that if the Exxon Valdez had hit the smaller, freshwater St-Lawrence River, rather than the Pacific Ocean, the consequences would have been infinitely more catastrophic. Although the river is more vulnerable to damage, Canada inspects just one in four vessels, the same rate ordered in less vulnerable waters. Officials should be doing more checks says André Porlier of the Regional Environmental Council of Montreal.

Porlier cites government statistics suggesting that over half of the ships that transport five-billion tons of freight past our friendly island each year are over 15 year old; 36 naval accidents have occurred in Canada this year already and 52 per cent of ships inspected betray major problems.

"Let's say a Russian ship is going to Cornwall, without stopping in Montreal or Quebec. It would only get inspected when it gets to Cornwall and even then there's only a 25 per cent chance that it would be inspected," says Porlier. "It's not reasonable to ask to inspect all of the ships, but we want more inspected, and not in our ports, but at the entrance of the St-Lawrence."

more news...