< Previous10 | The official publication of the Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alliance FEATURE n December 2022, the federal government laid out its plan for a zero-emission future, seeking to transition consumers away from fossil fuels and towards zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs). The new regulations mandate that 100 per cent of new vehi- cles sold in Canada must be zero emission by 2035. The debate as to whether these tar- gets are achievable is moot. The fact is that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) will increasingly become a common sight driving down Canadian high- ways in the foreseeable future. But what do these new regulations mean for members of the Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alli- ance (CERCA)? A dark shade of green The lithium batteries used to power BEVs may be cleaner for the lithium batteries, which are also toxic to the human body and hazardous to the health of responders. “The general public doesn’t under- stand all the hazards inherent with the batteries and even for us in the respond- er world, while we may know about the properties of lithium, we don’t always take into consideration the other chemi- cal hazards within the batteries them- selves,” says Scott Christon, Senior Tech- nical Advisor for GFL in Eastern Canada. For most CERCA members, they will only be dealing with an incident involving lithium batteries after the fire department has already dealt with the flames and the fire is extinguished. But a lithium fire requires fire departments to use thousands upon thousands of gal- lons of water to try to quench the reac- tion, and now all that water needs to be collected and treated. Responders can also reasonably expect to tackle the cor- rosive chemicals that remain and might have to remediate any heavy metals that environment (once the production of the materials used to make the batter- ies is factored out) but they also carry with them a variety of risks for CERCA members to consider when responding to incidents. Unlike a normal combustion engine vehicle where the engine can be shut off or the battery can be disconnected, BEVs remain energized after an incident and cannot be simply turned off. What’s more, because they contain lithium (which is very reactive to water), the batteries can catch fire or explode on contact with water and, once they do catch fire, the contained electrolytes that separate the cells and allow the batteries to conduct power is also flammable, help- ing the fire to grow larger. There is also the risk posed by the fluorinated chemi- cals inside the cells that – when they’re burning – produce extremely toxic hydro- gen fluoride gas. All this is on top of the multitude of different heavy metals that comprise the The Risks Posed by Lithium Batteries By Paul Adair, Staff Writer, in Consultation with Scott Christon, Senior Technical Advisor, GFL It’s Not Easy Being Green: Fall/Winter 2023 | 11 world is heading, where everything will eventually be electric – even the rigs on the roads,” says Christon. “When we start getting EV heavy transports, that’s when it will become really interesting, just because there will be so many batteries. An EV rig experiencing thermal runaway would become a very large-scale event for us to handle.” Looking ahead, CERCA will have a role to play in informing its members on the risk posed by lithium batteries, as well as the solutions available to mitigate that risk. Christon would like to see this hap- pen through CERCA-led research, offer training on BEV response, and potential- ly set up a task force assigned to closely explore the issue further. “I have been part of CERCA for more than 20 years, and sharing best practic- es is something members excel at,” says Christon. “We all talk with each other and share our triumphs, as well as our failures, and we can learn much from one another to make us all stronger, better, and safer going forward when it comes to dealing with lithium batteries.” of batteries and how to manage them,” says Christon. “Speaking for GFL and a few other contractors I’ve spoken with, we are all scrambling to get as much information as we can, as quickly as we can – and we have a fairly steep learning curve ahead of us.” As part of this, GFL is taking the time now to look at different ways of safely handling lithium batteries, as well as what disposal options are available with- in Canada; the United States is much further ahead than their Canadian coun- terparts on this. As such, Christon is working with his peers across the border to see how they are managing lithium batteries when it comes to things like containers, over- pack materials, and different fire sup- pressants. He will then be looking at establishing best practices to standard- ize for GFL in Eastern Canada, and all of Canada going forward. “This is something that will become a very big issue for emergency response contractors in the future, especially since this seems to be the direction the seep into the ground, as well as every- thing else that comes with lithium bat- tery removal and disposal. The big challenge, however, is related to reignition after the fire has been put out, in addition to the release of hydro- gen fluoride into the air. “This gas is extremely corrosive and toxic and if people aren’t prepared for it and protecting themselves, they’re going to end up in a world of trouble,” says Christon. When responding to an incident, make sure you are wearing the proper personal protective equipment (PPE), including a self-contained breath- ing apparatus (SCBA). Don't assume the white smoke is just water vapour / steam coming off the batteries. It could very well be hydrogen fluoride vapour which, if inhaled, is very toxic." The good news is that incidents involving lithium batteries on Canadian roads appear to be rare – at least for now. Currently, CERCA members more commonly encounter incidents with the smaller lithium-ion batteries, which begin to react while being shipped and experience what is called thermal run- away; a phenomenon where the lithium- ion cell enters into an uncontrollable, self-heating state. Even though these smaller batteries are much easier to deal with as compared to the very large ones powering a BEV, they have many of the same risks. “You read about it all the time hap- pening in bigger cities like Toronto, with something like an electric scooter – users plug them in, and for whatever reason, the batteries decide that they want to go into thermal runaway and catch fire,” says Christon. “The problem is so prevalent that manufacturers caution people to make sure they charge nowhere near a doorway or an escape route because not only is the fire very intense, but the gases that come off them are also very deadly.” Preparing for the future It’s said that the best time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining. So, while CERCA members are not receiving many calls to deal with lith- ium batteries and BEVs, rest assured those calls will come, and emergency response contractors need to make sure they are ready. “In the contractor world, we really don’t know enough about these kinds 12 | The official publication of the Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alliance FEATURE er- and poly- fluoroalkyl sub- stances (PFAS) – also known as ‘forever chemi- cals’ because of their high chemical and thermal sta- bility – are a group of man- made chemicals that have been widely used in industrial and consumer prod- ucts since the 1950s. They are known for their ability to repel oil and water, resist heat, and reduce friction, and can be found in everyday products such as non-stick cookware, food packaging, water-resistant clothing, stain-resistant fabrics, cleaning products, and firefight- ing foams. These chemicals are highly resistant to degradation and can accumulate in soil, water, and living organisms over time. Once released into the environ- ment, PFAS is mobile, can move through any medium, and have a profound impact on environmental wellbeing. Some of the reported effects include a decrease in soil respiration, changes in the microbial community, water stable aggregates, and an increase in pH. What’s more, PFAS can also pose a banning the use of PFAS across the Euro- pean Union. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has established a life- time Health Advisory Level (HAL) for the compounds perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) of 70 nanograms per litre (ng/L). When both PFOA and PFOS are found in drinking water, the combined con- centrations of PFOA and PFOS should be compared with the 70 ng/L HAL. The State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) adopted the U.S. EPA HAL of 70 ng/L as the California Response Level (RL). The SWRCB also established noti- fication Levels (NL) of 5.1 ng/L for PFOA and 6.5 ng/L for PFOS. What about Canada? Currently, there are no Canadian Reg- ulations established for PFAS in either water or soil. In their absence, Health Canada has developed soil screening val- ues for 11 select PFOS substances, and the Canadian Soil Quality Guidelines (CSoQGs) and Canadian Groundwater Quality Guidelines (CGWQGs) have been published with concentration to main- tain, improve, or protect environmental quality or human health. The final proposed Federal soil qual- ity guideline established for PFOS are between 0.01 mg/kg to 0.21 mg/kg, considering the site-specific condition, while the Federal groundwater quality guideline is 0.068 mg/L. The guidelines are intended only as generic guidance, potential health risk to humans. Stud- ies have suggested that exposure to ele- vated levels of PFAS may be linked to health issues such as kidney and testicu- lar cancer, thyroid disease, reproductive and developmental problems, immune system dysfunction, and liver damage. However, the exact health effects and safe levels of exposure are still being researched. Actions taken To address the concerns related to PFAS, regulatory actions have been taken in various countries, including the United States, the European Union, and Canada. Efforts are being made to restrict the use of certain PFAS com- pounds, develop alternatives, and estab- lish guidelines for safe exposure levels. In the meantime, federal and local governments, retailers, and brands are taking action to address the PFAS con- tamination crisis, one that is widespread and will cost billions to clean up. As an example, the state of Maine adopted a policy in 2021 to ban all uses of PFAS unless the use is necessary for public health. In 2022, the major chemical manufacturer 3M announced that it will stop manufacturing all PFAS by the end of 2025. In 2023, the European Chemical Agency unveiled a sweeping proposal for By Damian Rodriguez, Regional Vice President, Technology and Process Innovation, Environmental Services at GFL Environmental Services Inc. PFAS and You Firefighting foam remains on the ground surface following a tanker truck accident. EPA tests show that aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) used to fight flammable liquid fires have contaminated area drinking water with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).Fall/Winter 2023 | 13 protect the environment. New develop- ments in research and the environmental and health risks potentially associated to these pollutants demand a multi-pronged approach from different sectors, including public administration, scientists, commu- nities, industries, and the public, with the main goal to achieve tangible results in the short- and long-term. contamination to protect human health and ecological systems. Looking ahead, investment in key actions, such as testing strate- gies, safeguarding and ensuring clean water, cleaning up PFAS contamina- tion, funding research, and holding pol- luters accountable, among others, should be set up to safeguard public health and and site-specific conditions should be considered when assessing the overall contamination and implementing the procedures and values. Following the strategic plans from other countries, it’s imminent that Can- ada will eventually create and coordinate a similar framework to target PFAS con- taminants to protect human health and the environment. The Environmental Protection Agen- cy (EPA) in United States follows three specific objectives in their roadmap: 1. Research – Investing in research, development, and innovation to increase the understanding of PFAS exposures and toxicities, human health, and ecological effects, and effective interventions that incorpo- rate the best-available science. 2. Restrict – Pursuing a comprehensive approach to proactively prevent PFAS from entering air, land, and water at levels that can adversely impact human health and the environment. 3. Remediate – Broadening and accelerating the cleanup of PFAS Exposure to elevated levels of PFAS may be linked to health issues such as kidney and testicular cancer, thyroid disease, reproductive and developmental problems, immune system dysfunction, and liver damage.14 | The official publication of the Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alliance FEATURE innipeg- based Gryphon Energet- ics was founded by Andrew Krywonizka in 2014, after new explosives regulations were put into effect a year earlier, legalizing the sale and use of exploding targets. In the years since, Krywonizka has sought to develop new and novel explosives for the Canadian market, such as the first-ever binary explod- ing target manufactured in Canada – THUNDERSHOT, followed shortly thereafter by THUNDERSHOT Rim- fire. THUNDERSHOT remains Can- ada’s number one selling exploding target brand and Gryphon Energetics has grown along with it. how to take the caps apart and combine them into a small piece of paper, bundle it together, and when you threw it on the ground it would make a flash and a pop,” says Krywonizka. “This revelation launched me into the world of pyrotechnics.” In what would most likely get a knock on the door today from authorities, Kry- wonizka spent his youth participating in online pyrotechnic chat groups, pouring Krywonizka believes that explosives are in his blood, and one of his earliest childhood memories is his father buy- ing some consumer fireworks and light- ing them off in the front yard. Then his mother purchased the wrong type of cap for his cap gun, which sent him along the path to where he finds himself today. “Being an enterprising youth with an interest in explosives, I figured out By Paul Adair, Staff Writer by Gryphon Energetics Andrew Krywonizka setting up a commercial fireworks display. Andrew Krywonizka is bringing his years of expertise in the fireworks and explosives industry to CERCA. Photos courtesy of Andrew Krywonizka.Fall/Winter 2023 | 15 With that in mind, Gryphon Energetics has stringent safety and cleanliness pro- tocols to eliminate cross contamination, as well as efficient dust collection running throughout the facility to remove any con- taminants from the environment. “When you’re dealing with explo- sives and precursor chemicals there’s little margin for error, so before we start anything, we ask, ‘What’s the worst that can go wrong?’” says Krywonizka. “If you assume the worst-case scenario is going to happen and then work around that assumption, it’s much less likely that an incident will occur.” manufacture anything that is explosive when it leaves the facility, it is exempt from some of the spacing requirements of other companies working with explo- sives, such as a blasting explosives facil- ity or fireworks factory. Nevertheless, safety is always top of mind at Gryphon Energetics, and all staff are keenly familiar with the production pro- cesses and safety protocols to prevent acci- dents from occurring. For example, one of the chemicals the company uses is ammo- nium nitrate, which is generally an oxidizer in normal commerce. But, when it becomes contaminated by as little as 0.2 per cent, the results are potentially explosive. through books about explosives, and purchasing chemicals from the United States before experimenting to create his own rudimentary fireworks, making shells, rockets, and other special effects. “My parents didn’t necessarily encourage it, but they didn’t discourage it either,” says Krywonizka. “I believe they could see my passion and they understood the amount of research that I would do to ensure I was doing things safely.” Many years later… Krywonizka has spent 27 years in the explosives industry performing fire- works displays across Canada, as well as special effects for film, television, and live events. His resume is impressive, having worked alongside Disney On Ice, KISS, the CFL, and he has even received an accolade from the United States Army Criminal Investigation Laboratory. Now the owner of Gryphon Ener- getics, he maintains a 10,000 square foot facility where he and his team of four employees safely store the chemi- cals needed to manufacture products. Because the company does not actually “If you assume the worst-case scenario is going to happen and then work around that assumption, it’s much less likely that an incident will occur.” – ANDREW KRYWONIZKA, GRYPHON ENERGETICS Continued on page 1616 | The official publication of the Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alliance This is not necessarily the case for explosives, which have many different classes and compatibility groups based on their behaviour. In a fire, some explosives may deto- nate due to the flames and heat, and responders will have to evacuate while other explosives just burn up, or there might be greater risks involved that are not necessarily immediately obvious. With every scenario involving explo- sives, the behaviour of the explosive is potentially different, which may change the risk dynamic for CERCA members responding to the incident. “We want to bring our expertise – not just Gryphon Energetics but also the accu- mulated knowledge of colleagues I work with in the fireworks and explosives indus- try – to give companies that have ERAPs more confidence and peace of mind that they have somebody on call who can go out and help when explosives are involved,” says Krywonizka. “Just having someone on hand with the answers you need, when you need them, can greatly enhance your safety in these potentially dangerous and unpredictable scenarios.” Going forward, Krywonizka is excited to bring his jack-of-all-trades expertise to the table as a technical adviser, so that companies that have an emergency response assistance plan (ERAP) that includes explosives can rely on Gryphon Energetics for technical advice and on- site response. “We want to be able to be there when incidents involving explosives happen, not just on the phone but on scene as quickly as possible,” says Krywonizka. “Explosives are one of the few categories in the Emergency Response Guidebook that specifically mention to not clean up except under the direction or supervision of a specialist – we are that specialist.” Explosive results Many of the commodities in general commerce that are transported in bulk and the emergency response community would consider hazardous have predict- able behaviours. For example, a chlorine or diesel spill will act roughly the same for every incident, and the primary vari- ables are the technical complexities of the actual scene itself. Joining CERCA Krywonizka’s first became aware of the Canadian Emergency Response Contrac- tors’ Alliance (CERCA) through a friend, and the idea of the association was appeal- ing as it gave him the opportunity to pur- sue a facet of emergency response, while leveraging his knowledge and experience in the fireworks and explosives industry. “We became a member this year and it’s been an exciting opportunity for both Gryphon Energetics and for me personal- ly,” says Krywonizka. “CERCA is comprised of many professional and prestigious organizations, and I am looking forward to working with them all, not just helping them with their needs and their goals, but also learning from them.” Krywonizka is also a life-long rail- fan and train enthusiast, who – like he did with explosives and pyrotechnics – turned his interest into a part-time hobby and became a conductor with the Central Manitoba Railway (CEMR). “I bring not just a knowledge of explo- sives to CERCA, but also a knowledge of rail operations in the event of a rail-related accident,” says Krywonizka.18 | The official publication of the Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alliance CERCA SERVING YOU ACCUWORX INC. (a GFL Company) Clients rely on ACCUWORX Inc. to identify the most practical and efficient methods to manage, mitigate, and remediate hazardous releases to both land and water, including train derailments, trailer rollovers, fuel spills, and chemical spills. The team evaluates each specific situation before providing an appropriate course of action to contain the site. To any hazardous release, ACCUWORX can deploy a team of experienced, NFPA 472 hazardous materials technicians equipped with the proper tools and personal protective equipment. The company is TEAP III verified, and its technicians are crude oil spill response specialists with advanced tank car training and have SVOP and MED-A3 training for marine responses. Contact: Chris Nicholson Head Office: 220 Superior Boulevard Mississauga, ON L5T 2L2 Tel: (416) 410-7405 Emergency Tel: (877) 898-7222 http://www.accuworx.ca christophernicholson@gflenv.com Jeff Hoover Head Office: 3385 Hawthorne Road Ottawa, ON K1B 42 Tel: (613) 739-1070 ext. 297 Emergency Tel: (613) 219-1174 jhoover@gflenv.com Michael Forsyth Regional Manager Western / Northern Ontario Emergency Response Services 110 Hanson Avenue Kitchener, ON N2C 2E2 Tel: (226) 336-8325 Emergency Tel: (519) 369-4852 http://gflenv.com mforsyth@gflenv.com Shaune Zeleny Regional Manager, Specialized Services and Emergency Response Western Canada 100 Corey Road Saskatoon, SK S7K 3J7 Tel: (877) 244-9500 Emergency Tel: (306) 244-9501 http://gflenv.com szeleny@gflenv.com GFL ENVIRONMENTAL GFL Environmental skillfully assists customers with the careful planning and preparation of organized response to a potential hazardous materials incident. The team works with customers to provide a comprehensive emergency management and response service, including plan development, training, and exercises to support Transport Canada’s Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP), ECCC’s Environmental Emergency (E2) Plans, spill contingency plans, and more. GFL offers immediate and effective intervention to stabilize, manage, and remediate a range of emergency situations, including train derailments, truck rollovers, tank overfills, and uncontrolled releases. On land or water, their trusted teams can assess any situation and coordinate with others to deliver an efficient and effective course of action. GFL’s primary emergency response locations and support network are strategically located to expand their service capacity across North America. Contact: David Hill Head Office: 500 – 100 New Park Place Vaughan, ON L4K 0H9 Tel: (905) 326-0101, ext. 60307 Emergency Tel: (416) 458-9096 http://gflenv.com david.hill@gflenv.com From all facets of the Canadian dangerous goods emergency response industry, the contractor members of the Canadian Emergency Response Contractors’ Alliance comprise a sound emergency response network in Canada. Learn more about the teams offering emergency response services across our country.Fall/Winter 2023 | 19 REPUBLIC SERVICES Republic Services maintains a constant state of readiness with certified experts and specialized equipment, providing unmatched 24 / 7 / 365 response coverage across North America for public agencies and private sector clients in the transportation, chemical, manufacturing, oil and gas, retail, and insurance industries. With fully integrated services, Republic Services offers convenience and reduced risk as your single trusted partner, working together with you every step of the way, from initial mobilization through final closeout. Contact: Jason Bright Head Office: 22153 King and Whittle Road Tilbury, ON N0P 2L0 Tel: (519) 365-6239 Emergency Tel: (800) 899-4672 https://www.usecology.com jbright@republicservices.com RST RST’s experienced team has prepared and trained to be ready should a hazardous or non-hazardous material be unintentionally released. With years of extensive experience in mitigating both hazardous and nonhazardous product releases, the team has will respond quickly and efficiently throughout Atlantic Canada. RST’s emergency response services team is available 24/7 through its Emergency Call Centre. Contact: Shawn Reilly Head Office: 485 McAllister Drive Saint John, NB E2L 4H6 Tel: (506) 634-2329 Emergency Tel: (877) 624-8800 http://www.rsttransport.com reilly.shawn@rsttransport.com Contact: Jay Oliver 506 24th Avenue Nisku, AB T9E 8G3 Emergency Tel: (877) 378-7745 http://www.qmenv.com jay.oliver@qmenv.com Troy Kizmann 1707 Cliveden Avenue Delta, BC V3M 6W5 Tel: (672) 968-5637 Emergency Tel: (877) 378-7745 Troy.kizmann@qmenv.com Chad Pilon 818-48th Street East Saskatoon, SK S7K 3Y4 Tel: (306) 241-6588 Emergency Tel: (877) 378-7745 http://www.qmenv.com chad.pilon@qmenv.com RAPID RESPONSE INDUSTRIAL GROUP Rapid Response Industrial Group provides 24/7 HAZMAT emergency response to road, rail, fixed facility, and government agencies. The emergency response team has access to private charter flights to quickly contain the site, assess all damage, and develop a sound action plan to safely mitigate spills, releases, pandemic outbreak, pipeline release, or motor vehicle accidents. Rapid Response also provides waste disposal options and a one-stop shop for all your HAZMAT needs. Contact: Don Schuilenberg Head Office: 397 – 52458 RR 223 Sherwood Park, AB T8A 5V1 Tel: (780) 922-0811 Emergency Tel: (844) 774-4911 https://rapidresponseind.com don@rapidresponseind.com NUCOR ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTIONS LTD. NUCOR Environmental Solutions’ emergency response team is highly trained, equipped and meets or exceeds all relevant regulatory standards. The personnel have the ability to rapidly deploy to a wide variety of environmental emergencies and all classes of dangerous goods, like biohazard response, confined space rescue, hazardous material response, industrial firefighting and wildland fire protection, land spill response, rail response, safety training and consulting, and water spill response. With office located throughout western Canada, the team also provides safety training and consulting to a wide range of industries. Contact: Andy Jeves Head Office: 2 – 5250 185A Street Surrey, BC V3S 7A4 Tel: (604) 910-6796 Emergency Tel: (844) 542-9628 http://www.nucorenv.ca andyj@nucorenv.ca QM The QM emergency response team specializes in the safe management of contaminated materials, whether it’s a chemical or fuel spill, a tanker rollover, a train derailment, or the release of toxins into soil or water. The team can quickly contain the site, assess the damage, and develop a plan to safely mitigate and dispose of hazardous materials. It also draws on other QM divisions for soil and water remediation, hazardous materials abatement, and demolition / decommissioning to handle the most complex incidents.Next >