AMOP Technical Seminar on Environmental Contamination and Response

About the AMOP Technical Seminar

Environment Canada began the Arctic and Marine Oilspill Program (AMOP) in March 1978 to improve the knowledge base and technology for combatting Arctic and marine oil spills. The AMOP Technical Seminar soon evolved into an international technical forum about oil spills in any environment as well as other spill-related topics.

In 1983, the first Technical Seminar on Chemical Spills (TSOCS) was held in conjunction with the AMOP Seminar and, with time, grew to include counterterrorism issues, a reflection of current priorities. In 1999, the Technical Seminar for Phytoremediation/Biotechnology Solutions for Spills (PHYTO) was added. This seminar changed to Biotechnology Solutions for Spills (BIOSS) and then to Biological Solutions for Site Remediation, Restoration, and Rehabilitation (BIOSOLR3).

To remain at the forefront of the dynamic field of spill response, in 2008 all three Seminars were amalgamated under the name AMOP Technical Seminar on Environmental Contamination and Response.

About the Emergencies Science and Technology Section

The AMOP Technical Seminar on Environmental Contamination and Response is organized annually by the Emergencies Science and Technology Section (ESTS) of Environment Canada. Staff at ESTS’s Centre of Excellence located in Ottawa, Ontario carry out research and development on a variety of topics related to environmental emergencies caused by spilled hazardous materials. For more than 30 years, the Section has run a continuing national program of research and development (R&D) on:

  • properties, behaviour, detection, measurement, and effects of spilled hazardous materials;
  • modelling and remote sensing of spilled hazardous materials;
  • spill countermeasures: evaluation, effectiveness, effects, and environmental benefits of mechanical and chemical treating agents; and
  • shoreline impact and restoration: development of the Shoreline Cleanup Assessment Technique (SCAT).

A unique feature of the R&D is that results are applied to actual spill incidents, providing assistance to spill responders and conversely, feedback to the researchers on the direction of their work. R&D priorities are set and assessed by committees of representatives from all levels of government as well as international government agencies. Technology transfer is an important component of the program and the group provides operational guides, manuals, and training as well as some aspects of contingency planning.

The Section owns and operates two aircraft, a DC-3 and a Convair 580, which are equipped with leading-edge remote sensing equipment, including a laser fluorosensor for oil spill detection developed by a consortium led by Environment Canada and the U.S. Minerals Management Service. The aircraft provide a platform for R&D to develop new sensors and techniques for detecting oil and chemical spills.

Most of the Section’s projects are conducted in partnership with other government departments, agencies, and industry and cover a wide spectrum of issues related to spills. They include laboratory, mesoscale and field investigation in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine environments. The Chemical, Biological, Radiological-Nuclear and Explosive (CBRNE) Research & Technology Initiative (CRTI) was established as a counterterrorism R&D program in 2002. It is a joint effort by federal departments with science and technology programs. Environment Canada leads the Chemical Science Cluster. The Section will also be assisting in security arrangements for the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver, British Columbia.

For additional information, please contact:

Emergencies Science and Technology Section
Environment Canada
335 River Road
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3 Canada
Telephone: 613-998-9622
Fax: 613-991-9485
Email: SpillSeminars@ec.gc.ca

S&T Experts: