The Stablex Canada hazardous industrial waste landfill site in Blainville does not exceed any environmental standards, contrary to the assertions of citizen groups, assures Quebec, which is also trying to find a way to make the planned expansion of the waste disposal facilities acceptable. this undertaking deemed “necessary” by the Minister of the Environment.
“There is no breach of environmental regulations or ministerial authorizations issued to the company to supervise its operations,” said the Ministry of the Environment, the Fight against Climate Change, and Wildlife and Parks (MELCCFP).
This conclusion is based on the results of sampling from 20 surface water and groundwater wells in sand, clay and rock, as well as samples from ditches, carried out by the MELCCFP in April.
The contaminant measurements are rated “not of concern,” with the exception of one, which may be related to the use of a chloride dust suppressant in the past.
Citizen groups were alarmed in February about “significant contamination in the waterways around the Stablex landfill site”, following sampling they had carried out on land neighboring the site. business.
Various contaminants, including cadmium, had been detected at levels higher than Quebec standards, said the press release published by a coalition of organizations, including Mères au front Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, supported by the Society to Overcome Pollution and Emergency Water.
“Without denigrating the intention of citizens, because I can understand their desire to know more, the methodology that was used, unfortunately, was deficient,” declared the Minister of the Environment, the Fight against climate change, Wildlife and Parks, Benoit Charette.
There are “obviously flaws” in the citizens’ approach, retorts Daniel Green, of the Society to Overcome Pollution, which oversaw it.
“We are talking about sampling done by citizens, not technicians from the Ministry of the Environment,” he says, adding that he was limited by budgetary constraints.
This is why citizens sent their results to the Ministry and asked it to carry out checks at the same sampling points, outside the site, and not on the site, explains Mr. Green, reiterating that they have reasons to believe that contaminants are “leaving the Stablex site.”
He asks the Ministry to demonstrate “transparency” and also share its analysis results and its approach.
“We want to ensure that the ministry sampled without notifying the company,” he said. A polluter can stop his spills. »
Concerns about Stablex arise as the company plans to expand its hazardous industrial waste disposal facilities.
Under an authorization granted in 1981, Stablex could open a sixth landfill cell on its site, when the fifth, in use, must be closed.
But the urbanization of the area over the last 40 years meant that this cell would be 300 meters from residences, so much so that the company requested authorization to locate it elsewhere, an option that the Office of The public hearings on the environment (BAPE) however recommended rejecting it in September, citing in particular the impact that the project would have on natural environments.
“We are [studying] another option that would allow us to preserve wetlands of interest and keep us away from citizens who are worried,” Minister Benoit Charette told La Presse.
This option would be carried out on one or other of the two sites already studied, but with “variants” to the initial projects, indicates the minister, saying he expects an agreement to be concluded between Stablex, the City of Blainville and the Ministry of the Environment in the coming days or weeks.
“We must understand that Stablex is necessary in Quebec; it is the only company that specializes in the management of contaminated materials,” underlines the minister.
The samplings carried out by the MELCCFP in April are in addition to those carried out since the start of operation of the plant, in 1983, and to the 65 “field inspections” carried out by the Ministry between 2015 and 2023, which did not detect no leaks or sources of contamination from the landfill site, its press release indicates.
Stablex is also legally required to carry out environmental monitoring of groundwater, surface water, water discharged into the sewer network and potential atmospheric discharges linked to its activities.
“We are pleased to note that the results of the analysis carried out by the MELCCFP are in agreement with our own results,” Maxime Couture, spokesperson for Stablex, declared to La Presse, estimating that “these conclusions confirm our commitment and our rigorous environmental compliance practices.”
