July 11, 2007
The Port Mellon Pulp Mill at Howe Sound is the latest of BC's pulp mills to burn coal for fuel, despite degraded air quality and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Howe Sound Pulp and Paper commenced an initial trial burning of 1,000 tones of coal for a week in February 2007.
According to Ministry of Environment staff, no permit amendment or authorization was required for the trial since the mill's current permit does not disallow burning coal, or any other fuel. The permit specifies only that the pollution must be acceptable to the Regional Waste Manager of MoE.
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June 6, 2007
European Continuous Dioxin Sampling Equipment Recommended for Crofton Mill - Environment Canada Requested to Join Initiative
After decades of uncertainty and controversy over the level of dioxins and furans in coastal pulp mill air emissions, the potential to employ new technology from a German manufacturer could help identify the real risk to human and ecological health from some of the most toxic chemicals known if Environment Canada joins in widespread acceptance of the plan.
“This is a real opportunity to advance the science in North America,” said Elizabeth White of the Crofton Airshed Citizens Group (CACG). "The only thing holding us up right now is Environment Canada's unwillingness to participate in a pilot project." |
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Tuesday, July 11,
2006
After 15 Year Delay, 5th Study Finds Chemical Causes Cancer, Developmental Problems & Birth Defects
(Campbell River, BC) - The National Academies (NA) released a
controversial report today in the United States confirming what
numerous scientific panels have concluded over the past 15 years -
dioxin is a potent cancer-causing chemical even at very small levels.
Dioxin can cause developmental and immune effects at levels close to
those currently found in the American and Canadian population.
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January 4,
2006
(Crofton, BC) – A representative for the BC Ministry
of Environment shocked members of the Crofton Airshed Citizens Group
(CACG) when he confirmed that the province had no intention of opening
up the consultation process for a new air emissions permit for the
Crofton mill to the public. Bernard Bintner, the Senior
Industrial Pollution Officer for the Ministry of Environment, said that
this will not be classified as a ‘major amendment’ and therefore there
will be no public meetings or notice since the permit re-write is
considered an improvement.
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November 24,
2005
Local groups, including the Crofton Airshed Citizens Group (CACG) and
Reach for Unbleached (RFU), today condemned the most recent effort by
the provincial government and local pulp mills to offload toxic waste
to the environment and risk human health. An ‘intentions paper’
outlining a code of practice for spreading toxic waste on agricultural
and forest land in BC has been put forward for a brief public
consultation period prior to preparing and implementing legislation.
The Government’s intent is expressed on their website with a November
30 deadline for response
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October 13, 2005
(Crofton, BC) - A new British Columbia pollution overview issued today
by Environmental Defence and the Canadian Environmental Law Association
has named two of the mills run by Catalyst Paper, (formerly
NorskeCanada) as among the “Dirty Dozen” top air polluters for the
province. 1
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September 14, 2005
CROFTON MILL FORUM MEMBERS URGE NEW HEALTH IMPACT ASSESSMENT
(Crofton,
BC) – Members of the Crofton Mill Community Advisory Forum last night
recommended that an air dispersion modeling study be redone and that a
full baseline human health risk assessment of the Crofton mill be
conducted.
The recommendation comes after a review by a sub-committee
of the study conducted by mill owner NorskeCanada in 2004 and two
subsequent peer reviews. Comprised of representatives for the union,
environment and First Nations sectors, the group recognized the
fundamental disconnect between what the expectations were for the
initial study and what that study was actually designed to conclude. |
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