Fuel oil spills top 1996 spill report list 253 spills reported for 1996 by Cheryl Leschasin Northern News Services NNSL (June 23/97) - A fuel leak from a drydock that sank in Tuktoyaktuk harbor last month has been plugged by divers and 8,000 litres of diesel fuel have been mopped up. It might sound like a fair bit, but that spill was just a drop in the bucket compared with the tens of thousands of litres of hazardous materials spilled in the NWT every year. In 1996, 253 spills were reported to the GNWT Spill Report Line. Polluters are required to report spills exceeding a minimum quantity to the spill line and may face penalties if they don't. "The polluter himself is required under the NWT Environmental Protection Act to report the spill," said Emery Paquin, of the GNWT Environmental Protection Service. He said those who do not report their own spills can face stiff penalties. Fuel oil accounted for 42 per cent of these spills. Leaks from tanks, pipes and fittings and tank overflows were the main causes. Most of these spills are attributed to human error, resulting from lack of regular equipment maintenance, inspections and staff training. The second most common type of spill reported was waste water at 19 per cent. Waste water is comprised mainly of sewage and mine effluents. Other hazardous materials spilled include, in descending order of reported frequency: lube oil, gasoline, chemicals and waste oil. Government departments and agencies were responsible for 26 per cent of all spills reported in 1996. Most spills involved fuel oil or sewage. Mining was a close second, being responsible for 22 per cent of spills. Third parties can also report spills to the 24-hour spill line at (403) 920-8130. By reporting spills, government agencies will ensure the polluter cleans up the mess. "If the regulatory agency doesn't know the spill has occurred, they can't act upon it," said Paquin.