A pilot project in Nova Scotia has concluded that evaporating fracking wastewater is a viable method of disposal.

Provincial Environment Minister Randy Delorey announced the results of the project on October 23. The project disposed of two million litres of treated fracking wastewater, which was evaporated at 700˚C. Before being evaporated, the wastewater was treated for naturally occurring radioactive materials and put through reverse osmosis.

“When I met with the community last April, I said that we would update people on the results of the pilot and making the results available online is a good way to keep everyone informed,” Delorey said in a news release. “I’m pleased with the findings from the pilot.”

Delorey said the water was analyzed and that it meets the Canadian Council of Environment Ministers and Health Canada guidelines for release into a freshwater source.

The Environment Department has received a request from Atlantic Industrial Services (AIS) to transport and treat another five million litres of water—a decision Delorey said will be announced soon.

There are 10 million litres remaining in two ponds at AIS’ Debert site. Triangle Petroleum also has 20 million litres of wastewater in two holdings ponds in Kennetcook. The wastewater in both areas is from fracking that took place in 2007 and 2008.

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