The Oil Sands Story:
The Environment

Once the final product is shipped by pipeline to refineries, an environmental footprint remains. This can include open pit mine holes, process water dykes and emissions. Minimizing the impact to the environment begins by understanding the complexity of eco-systems. This information is used to help develop reclamation plans that determine how to return productive areas, to a self- sustaining, productive state, as required by all lease agreements. An important part of this process is state of the art environmental monitoring programs and communication with stakeholders including environmental groups and aboriginal people. This is an area of ongoing research activity, and while improvements in environmental stewardship have been made, huge challenges remain. Protecting the environment is a shared responsibility involving industry, government and consumers of hydrocarbon products. These products include gasoline, fuel for our homes, and petroleum chemical products like plastics, fleece and even toothpaste!

More information on how government is working to address the environmental impact of the oil sands is available through the Alberta Environment website:
http://www.environment.alberta.ca/