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Rubber and Wood September 21, 2017 11:30:23 AM

Northern Pulp Mill Pollution Level Exceeded Permitted Limits

Carolina Curiel
ScrapMonster Author
Chrissy Matheson, media relations adviser with the Department of Environment noted that the enforcement division has been working closely with Northern Pulp to make the company comply with the requirements.

Northern Pulp Mill Pollution Level Exceeded Permitted Limits

HALIFAX (Scrap Monster): The emissions from the power boiler at Northern Pulp’s Pictou County mill have once again exceeded the limits set by the Nova Scotia Environment Department. According to the company, the emissions exceeded the contaminant limits by nearly 50%. Following this, the Environment Department has ordered an investigation. Incidentally, this is not the first time the emissions from the mill have exceeded the set limits.

The disclosure made by the company states that tests during the month of June this year recorded particulate emissions of 224 milligrams per reference cubic metres, far exceeding the limit of 150 milligrams per reference cubic metres allowed by the permit. Over the past three years, the emissions have exceeded the limits four times before this. The emission results had gone out of compliance in March 2015, September 2015, June 2016 and December 2016. The emission levels of June this year were the highest among all of the above cited violations.

Meantime, Northern Pulp admitted that the current situation is definite setback for all involved. The company spokesperson Kathy Cloutier the company is presently investigating all possible reasons that might have contributed to the fluctuating results. Recently, a team of North American boiler experts had conducted a full audit of its scrubber operations, the recommendations of which are under review. The installation of new precipitator equipment in 2015 has helped to reduce the mill’s total emissions of air contaminants by as much as 80%, she noted.

NS Department of Environment has not yet released the results of emission tests conducted during June this year. Chrissy Matheson, media relations adviser with the Department of Environment noted that the enforcement division has been working closely with Northern Pulp to make the company comply with the requirements. She declined to share further details as an active investigation is already underway in connection with the June tests.

It must be noted that the facility was issued a Summary Offence Ticket (SOT) valued at around $700 in June last year for exceeding the approved limit for particulate matter. Following the satisfactory level in August, the Environment Department had retracted the SOT and has issued a statement citing technical difficulties during the previous test.

Meantime, residents of Nova Scotia community alleged that the government agency is taking a soft stand on the matter. The pollution levels must be strictly monitored to prevent emissions that are potentially dangerous to residents’ health. Further, the results must be published in the department website for public access, they demanded.

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