A suspected dump of drug waste required the attention of Abbotsford Fire Rescue Service on Thursday afternoon at Dyke Road, off Marsh McCormick Road.
Several 45-gallon drums of what fire officials said appeared to be chemicals for drug manufacturing had been dropped at the side of the road and in a small creek.
"I haven't done testing on it, but from my experience it looks like it's drug waste that has been dumped here," said Assistant Fire Chief Dave Rivett.
He said the waste likely came from a drug lab creating ecstasy or methamphetamines. Rivett said the drums, some of which were in a small creek, were not leaking chemicals.
"There's very little in the water," he said. "There is no risk to the public."
Frefighters remained on the scene until an environmental contractor could take away the chemical containers.
The situation was stable, said Rivett, but police blocked Marsh McCormick Road at Dyke Road until the chemicals could be removed.
Firefighers responded at 12:45 p.m. to a call from city public works personnel regarding the waste. Rivett said finding chemical waste from drug production is not uncommon.
"They tend to dump it in rural areas," he said. "They leave the clean-up to the taxpayers."