Rendering company fined for releasing bad smell in community

Thursday, April 28, 2016

by PAM WRIGHT

A Brant County rendering company was fined $7,500 and given a suspended sentence after it and a company official pleaded guilty to releasing noxious odours two years ago.

Timco Foods Ltd., and company director Rajkumar Selvaratnam, pleaded guilty April 5 in provincial court to the two offences related to noxious discharges.

Selvaratnam was given two suspended sentences for failing to comply with two conditions outlined in the company’s Environmental Compliance Approval, which was granted under the Environmental Protection Act.

Lindsay Davidson, spokesperson for the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, said by email the incident occurred between Dec. 22, 2013 and Jan. 9, 2014.

The company released a “nuisance odour,” he said.

Under its environmental compliance approval, the company must use a biofilter and maintain a negative pressure atmosphere in its facility to remove odorous contaminants before they are released in the environment.
 
The MOECC requires the company to provide written notification if there is a loss of airflow over the biofilter within two business days of the event. It must also monitor and record negative pressure levels every five minutes.

Following a complaint of odour to the ministry, officials found during an investigation there was no external power from Hydro One to the plant for a seven-hour period. However, the company failed to report the loss of power to the ministry.

The company’s penalty also included a victim surcharge of $1,875, which was in addition to the $7,500 fine. BF