Releasing treated oilsands tailings into the environment isn’t the only solution being considered to clean up the massive toxic ponds in northern Alberta, federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault says.

Guilbeault said Wednesday that even though his government is developing regulations on how the tailings could be drained into the Athabasca River, other solutions are under review.

“We’ve never said that this is the only solution we’re contemplating,” he said. “We haven’t ruled out the possibility of finding technical solutions to tailings ponds issues.”