KAWARTHA LAKES-Some residents living in the area of William Street and Wellington Street in Lindsay thought it was snowing in August. It turns out the white specs falling from the sky were particles of styrofoam from a nearby construction site.
“Styrofoam is floating around the entire neighbourhood – going into the river, into our gardens and even all the way down Kent street. It looks like it’s snowing outside!” said Stephanie Blackmore. “This is a huge environmental disaster and polluting the waterways, wildlife and our community. I went for a walk with my toddler and dog and it was even in my daughter’s mouth!”
Blackmore says the particles are coming from the construction of The Foundry at 77 William Street and the styrofoam being used to insulate the outside of the building. Blackmore says it’s been going on since August 10th, 2026.
The Ministry of Environment was called and responded to the site on Tuesday.
“Ministry staff conducted a site visit on August 25 to assess the area – and have observed Styrofoam had moved off-site.” Jacob Mohns, Environmental Compliance Officer, Drinking Water & Environmental Compliance Division with the Ministry of the Environment told Kawartha 411 News. “We have directed the company to clean up all off-site materials and appropriately manage remaining material on-site. Following the completion of clean-up activities, the ministry does not anticipate any further environmental impacts.”
The ministry says it has also notified the City of Kawartha Lakes of the incident for any future follow-up that may be required.
According to Colgate University, styrofoam is a major environmental problem. It says styrofoam is non-biodegradable and non-recyclable. It can leach into the environment and into foods and drinks. According to Washington University styrofoam takes 500 years to decompose.
