More Progress in Cutting Industrial Emissions

In our February 2008 newsletter, we reported that we were once again exercising our rights under the provincial Environmental Bill of Rights (EBR) to see an environmental problem resolved.

In this case, the polluter is Poscor, a scrapyard operation located on Parkdale Avenue North. The company has been using oxypropane metal cutters in the open air and generating significant particulate emissions in the process.

The frustrating thing about this story is that the company was given an approval in 2006 from the Ministry of the Environment to operate these metal cutters in the open air. At the same time, other companies using the same cutters have been required to undertake all cutting activities indoors and with proper pollution controls.

We could not understand why MOE granted this permit to Poscor in this form! So, back in February, after lots of research and observation, we submitted an EBR application for review, asking that the Ministry revisit the air approvals it gave to Poscor– approvals which permit the outdoor metal cutting operation.

Not long after our application was submitted, we learned that Poscor had been bought out by Triple M Metal and that the new owner was proposing to stop the metal cutting operations at Parkdale and move all cutting operations indoors at a building located in a scrapyard on Strathearne Avenue North.

Soon after, a posting appeared on the EBR electronic registry, with a proposal from Triple M for approval of an air permit to allow the cutting operations at the Strathearne site. On the positive side, the proposal indicated that the company would install pollution controls so that any emissions from the cutting operations would be prevented from getting out into the atmosphere.

EH prepared and submitted formal comments on the new air permit application. Our review of the MOE file on the application led us to raise concerns that the proposed pollution control system was not rigorous enough. The levels of particulates and certain contaminants in the particulate were very close to the provincial limits.

We also used the opportunity to push for Triple M to take steps to mitigate dust problems at the Strathearne Avenue scrap yard. This stretch of Strathearne has become notorious for its dust problems. We have asked that MOE require the company to develop a comprehensive plan to control dust on-site and to prevent the drag-out of dirt and other debris that can contribute to dust problems on the street.

We also requested that MOE take away the approvals that exist at the Parkdale Avenue site, so that the company cannot continue to do any open air cutting there at any point in the future.

Meanwhile, in mid-May, we heard back from MOE on our application for review for the Parkdale facility. MOE has decided to undertake the review we requested, indicating that, in the interim, the Ministry has concerns about allowing the Parkdale facility to continue to operate the oxypropane cutters in the open air.

The Ministry referred to the risk of negative environmental impacts as justifying its decision. Our hope is that MOE moves swiftly to complete the review and stop the open air cutting and the emissions generated by this activity as quickly as possible.