Asphalt Plants Submit Emission Improvement Plan

By 250 News

Pittman and Columbia have submitted plans to the Ministry of Environment on how they will meet stack emission standards  (photo opinion250 archive)

The asphalt plants  in Prince George that exceeded stack emission limits have been asked to submit plans to show how they will correct the problems which plagued residential neighbours  throughout the paving season.

Residents who attended an air quality forum last night, were told they are not alone.  "I don't have the exact numbers" said Ministry of the Environment's Maureen Bilawchuk,"But there have been audits done on asphalt plants across the province, and the result indicates that there is general non-compliance by that particular sector."

She  told the  gathering that  unfortunately,  the regulations covering asphalt plants provide a full 120 days before the next step can be taken "by that time the paving season is over" says Bilawchuk.  She says  make no mistake, those who have complained are being heard.  " I know Victoria is aware this is an issue."  She told the group "There is a process and we are going through the process, and although there are standards, the way the regulations are written there is nothing  that says  the companies can be shut down."

She says  all three paving companies  were in non compliance but the smallest of the three was an administrative issue not an emissions one.  The other two have  had to submit plans on how they will correct the problems which caused their emmissions to be  higher than the allowable limits.  "Both Columbia and Pittman have submitted plans,  we're evaluating their plans" says Bilawchuk "We can accept the plan,  we can reject the plan or we can ammend the plan, and likely we will be ammending the plan"

She says hopefully, when the paving season starts again next May  the situation will be  greatly improved "I don't want to go through another season like this, the asphalt plants don't want to go through another season like this.  We want to make sure things are different at the beginning of the paving season next year."

Residents in the area near the plants have complained about odour and health concerns since the paving season got underway last May.  The Ministry of the Environment's David Sutherland indicated an air sampling aparatus will be placed in the North Nechako region to see what sort of pollutants, and their levels, are being pumped into the air. "But putting a monitor there doesn't mean you can identify the sources".  Sutherland  added the number one priority  is to get the plants to operate within the set standards "The second step may be to ask, are the standards good enough?" 

Email | Print | Facebook | Twitter | Digg | Del.icio.us