Truck Driver Fined $8,000 for Not Reporting Spill & Ordered to Pay Cleanup Costs

A truck driver hauling a load turned into a fuel station, where he parked his truck so he could sleep. While he slept, the truck leaked between 100-200 litres of diesel fuel onto the ground under the cab. When the driver awoke and exited the cab, he noticed the fuel, inspected the truck for the source of the leak, placed his hand on the stain and smelled it. He then got back into the truck and drove away. But he didn’t report the spill to the MOE, as required. Fuel station staff contained the spill, reported it to the ministry and arranged for professional cleanup. The driver pleaded guilty to failing to report the spill as required by the Environmental Protection Act. The court fined him $8,000 and ordered him to pay $10,950.07 in restitution for the remediation of the spill [Russell Friesen, Govt. News Release, May 5, 2016].