Northwest Territories collision dumps tons of AN

Yellowknife, NWT-Northwest Territories environmental officials and transport operators are confident that a large amount of ammonium nitrate prill was fully cleaned up after being spilled in a collision last month on Highway 3 near the Alberta border. The collision, which reportedly involved an Edge Transportation Services transport carrying the prill and a parked truck, occurred Feb. 27. Press reports said that 22 tons were dumped onto the highway when a trailer was ripped open by the collision. Edge Transportation General Manager Terry Siemens told Green Markets the carrier, loaded with “several tons of prill,” was enroute to some mining operations in the area at the time. He said Edge teamed up with two other companies to clean up and haul the material for disposal at the Yellowknife landfill. “We cleaned up to meet all government standards,” Siemens added. “Once the snow melts we’ll do another check.” Emery Paquin, territories environmental services director, confirmed that his department “remains satisfied with the company’s emergency response to this accident and will be re-inspecting the scene once snow has melted from the site.” Still, he added, the waterways in the area are of particular concern. No charges are expected in connection with the mishap.