Environment Hamilton statement re: Birla Carbon named as primary source of latest soot incident

August 24, 2026

During the first two weeks of July, Hamilton residents were once again impacted by black soot emitted from the industrial north end. Environment Hamilton welcomes the finding of Birla Carbon as the source of the soot. The Ministry of Environment, Conservation, and Parks communicated that this finding has been referred to the investigations and enforcement branch. As a result, we hope to see proper enforcement and community compensation to ensure these incidents stop happening.

It’s not acceptable for residents to be exposed to industrial fallout in their communities. Industrial air pollution has been an issue for decades in Hamilton and residents have not observed a measurable improvement to our air for some time.

Although July’s incident can be attributed to Birla Carbon, Hamilton residents are constantly subjected to industrial pollution and soot. It should not take an exceptional spill to spur action. Seven industrial facilities in Hamilton continue to be allowed to pollute beyond Ontario’s health-based air quality standards even upon the expiry of a number of their permissions. Preliminary findings from What’s The Grime researchers at McMaster University confirm what residents have known all along, that the soot is largely attributable to industry, and that proximity to industrial facilities impacts how much fallout residents are subjected to. The lingering questions about the cumulative health impacts from July’s fallout is further evidence Ontario needs to change how it regulates industrial air pollution.

In March of this year, the Canadian Environmental Law Association submitted an Environmental Bill of Rights request asking the provincial government to review and strengthen its policy on cumulative air pollution. This policy was created in 2018 and is extremely weak and limited in scope. It was due for review in 2020.

Currently, the province assesses health impacts from industrial facilities individually. The fact that Hamilton residents are exposed to pollution from multiple industrial operations at once is not considered when the provincial government sets air quality targets for each facility. Other communities in Ontario, such as Sarnia and the Aamjiwnaang First Nation, are also negatively impacted by this regulatory loophole.

To clean up Hamilton’s air for good, the province must make changes that prevent incidents from happening rather than responding after the fact to varying degrees of success. Companies in industries where the technology exists to phase out fossil fuel operations entirely, such as steelmaking, must be pressured to make the transition. The federal government must assist by implementing a comprehensive transition plan for workers in these industries. These are steps we will have to push for as a community to see meaningful changes. Hamiltonians have been forced to choose between clean air, water, and land or good, unionized jobs. We deserve both.