EDITOR'S NOTE: This article has been updated to include information from the Ontario Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks.
White and fluffy stuff falling from the sky is not often associated with the summer months — unless you live near Algoma Steel, according to Sault Ste. Marie resident Toby Traveson.
Earlier this summer, the father of two stepped out onto his Douglas Street lawn when he noticed a bunch of small and peculiar flakes landing on his property.
“There were all these sparkles floating around — and there were tons of them,” he says. “My whole yard was sparkling. You know when you get lots of dandelions and you get tons of fluff in the air? That’s how it was coming down.”
In an email to SooToday, Algoma Steel spokesperson Brenda Stenta confirmed that tiny graphite flakes had carried beyond the plant’s beaching pits last month and into parts of the surrounding neighbourhood.
“The normal practice of beaching iron can generate graphite flakes,” the email reads. “While we have control measures in place to minimize this occurrence, on occasion, prevailing winds can carry these flakes beyond the beaching pits, which we suspect may have occurred on the day in question. We value our relationship with our neighbours, and we work them with on a case-by-case basis to address any concerns they may have.”
After talking with neighbours, Traveson believes most of the flakes had fallen between First and Fifth Avenues in the city’s west end.
After the flakes had landed on his vehicle, porch, and lawn, the concerned parent contacted the plant and heard from them the next day.
“Someone from the plant called me and said they’d give me a coupon to go to a car wash and get all the flakes off the car,” he says. “We couldn’t believe how much came down. I know some people who have been in the area for 25 years that have never seen it like that.”
Traveson wiped off his windshield and kept a bag of the flakes following the incident, and he says some of the pieces were large enough to spark a health and safety concern.
“A lot of the flakes are over one centimeter long,” he says. “I feel like if that got in your throat, it could slice up your throat and your lungs. I couldn’t believe the size of them. There’s no way that’s good for you, and in my mind, I don’t think that’s safe for anybody.”
A spokesperson for the Ontario environment ministry says both the province and Algoma Public Health are "aware and involved."
"Algoma Steel advised the Ministry that a beaching event occurred as they were pouring iron on the ground, causing the graphite material to disperse into the air for approximately 15 minutes and settle on neighbouring properties," wrote Gary Wheeler, in an email to SooToday. "Algoma Steel advised the Ministry that this was a rare occurrence."
Wheeler said Algoma Steel "received one direct complaint and visited this property to assist with any clean-up requested. Algoma Steel also advised that they provided contact information to neighbouring property owners who may have questions or concerns."
Ministry staff visited the neighbourhood on July 24. "Due to rain occurring after the event, no graphite material was observed, nor could samples be taken," Wheeler said.
Should residents be concerned about negative health effects?
"Graphite is generally not considered a hazardous or toxic material," Wheeler said. "Skin and eye contact with graphite may cause mild irritation and reddening, and inhalation may irritate the respiratory tract."