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Catalyst Crofton and Elk Falls Mills Rank Among “Dirty Dozen” of BC |
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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
The report is based on an analysis of data provided to the National
Pollution Release Inventory (NPRI) of Environment Canada by Catalyst
for the year 2003 and comes on the heels of a similar indictment
earlier this year. In May the North American Commission for
Environmental Cooperation (CEC) Taking Stock report highlighted the
Crofton Mill as showing the single largest increase in reported
pollution release in the entire country. 2
“Once again we see the Catalyst mills being shown to be priorities for
action on toxic pollution in BC,” said Elizabeth White of the Crofton
Airshed Citizens Group (CACG). “With the permits for both Crofton and
Elk Falls currently being amended by the Ministry of Environment, this
is an opportunity for the government to step up to the plate and
address their disproportionate contribution to BC air pollution.”
CACG has recently written to the Ministry of Environment requesting
that the permit amendments be opened up to public scrutiny and
input. The Crofton mill operates under a thirty-year-old permit
that effectively regulates only two of hundreds of dangerous emissions
and does not accurately reflect the current operations and inputs to
the mill.
According to Canadian government data, BC is Canada’s largest emitter
of dioxins and furans, mainly from the pulp and paper
sector.3 The practice of burning salt laden bark chips and
wood waste from logs stored and transported via coastal waters (salty
hog) is one of the main culprits for the formation of dioxins and
furans in the power boiler of the mills.
“The burning of salty hog fuel, sludge and demolition waste to generate
power contributes significantly to the air pollution problems of the
Crofton mill and these are all issues that need to be addressed through
regulatory action by the government and pollution prevention measures
by the mill,” said White. “Alternatives for these problem
practices exist and, as one of the top polluters for the region,
Catalyst carries a special responsibility to take immediate corrective
measures.”
[1] See http://www.pollutionwatch.org/pressroom/releases/20051012.jsp
[2] See http://www.cec.org/takingstock/index.cfm?varlan=english
[3] See http://www.pollutionwatch.org
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Press Centre