Simon Dyer, Oil Sands Program Director with the Pembina Institute, made the following comments on Suncor’s proposed new tailings approach that has been submitted for regulatory approval:

“It is our understanding that Suncor’s proposed tailings approach would enable it to meet the current ERCB tailings directive and could also enable the clean up of existing tailings waste. Suncor’s proposal raises the bar for all companies operating in the oil sands, and it is essential that other oil sands companies are required to meet the new rules to deal with toxic tailings waste.

“Tailings management remains a significant challenge for the oil sands industry and the industry’s current approach to tailings management is not sustainable. Suncor has made an important first step in acknowledging and seeking to address this problem with a new approach. Further innovation and leadership on this scale are required to address other unresolved environmental issues in the oil sands and need to be driven by stricter environmental regulations from government.”

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The Pembina Institute is a non-partisan sustainable energy think tank.

Contact:

Simon Dyer
Oil Sands Program Director
The Pembina Institute
Tel: 403-721-3937
Cell: 403-322-3937
simond@pembina.org