Ineos Styrolution

“Aamjiwnaang will no longer be known as the community that is a victim of Chemical Valley, but we will be known for our environmental leadership,” said Chief Janelle Nahmabin, elected in September of 2024.

Ineos Styrolution, the plastics plant mired in controversy since high levels of benzene pollution were reported there earlier this year, is citing economic realities in its announcement that it will shut its Sarnia operations, which employ approximately 80 workers and numerous contractors.

The province has issued four orders to Ineos Styrolution since 2019, recently temporarily shut down the facility and added new conditions to its licence that it must meet before it restarts operations, but the government says benzene levels remain elevated.

The owners of a Sarnia, Ont., plastics plant that has been emitting dangerous levels of the cancer-causing chemical benzene for years say they need more time to comply with tougher federal rules.

As residents in Ontario's Chemical Valley grapple with dangerously high levels of benzene, air monitoring data also reveals very high levels of sulphur dioxide that environmental advocates urge must be brought under control.

Ontario's Ministry of the Environment has ordered a petrochemical facility in Sarnia to suspend its production operations after high benzene emissions, first flagged by a neighbouring First Nation.