September 5, 2025
RED FM News Desk
The Alberta government has announced plans to begin establishing standards for the release of treated oil sands tailings into the environment.
This move follows recommendations from a government-appointed committee tasked with reviewing tailings management strategies. Developing release standards is one of four key policy suggestions outlined in the committee’s recent report.
Tailings—a toxic mixture of water, sand, residual bitumen, and chemicals—pose serious risks to fish, wildlife, and ecosystems. As of 2023, nearly 1.4 trillion litres of tailings were being stored across Alberta.
The committee’s report describes the treatment and controlled release of tailings as “essential” to addressing the environmental risks posed by the ever-growing volumes accumulating in northern Alberta.
A central issue highlighted in the report is ensuring treated tailings meet safety standards that protect both human health and the environment.
Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz confirmed the government will begin drafting an action plan to move forward on this issue.
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