PORT MELLON PLANT
NOW UNDER SCRUTINY

THE PROVINCIAL Ministry of Environment’s enforce-
ment branch is investigating a second Howe Sound pulp mill
to determine if the operation is violating its effluent
discharge permit by exceeding permitted effluent toxicity

levels.

Senior conservation officer
Mark Hayden confirmed Wednes-
day an investigation of Canfor
Corp.’s Port Meilon pulp mill was
underwa; and should be completed
by the end of September.

The investigation, which began
in April, follows a similar in-
vestigation into Howe Sound’s
Wood fibre pulp mill and suspected
violations of that mill’s effluent
discharge permit.

SENIOR conservation officer
Mark Hayden ... mill is having
problems complying with effluent
discharge permit.

Western Pulp Inc., Woodfibre’s
owner, faces 12 pollution charges
as a result of the investigation.
Representatives of the company
are scheduled to make a first ap-
pearance on the charges Sept. 12 in
Squamish provincial court.

Hayden said Port Mellon was
being investigated because of prob-
lems the mill is having with com-
plying with its effluent discharge
permit ‘‘or we wouldn’t have been
asked to investigate.”’

Commercial crab fishing in
Howe Sound was closed June 14
by Fisheries and Oceans Canada

August 25, 1989 News 985-2131 Classified 986-6222

nt mi

SURUR -eaniat:

tests showed
continuing high levels of dioxins
and furans in fish samples taken J
from Howe Sound.

The chemicals are two of the
hundreds of chlorinated organics

after results from

produced in the pulp bleaching
process.

They do not break down natu- |
rally and minute amounts have
been linked to cancer in laboratory
animals and can lead to. the
destruction of immune systems in
salmonids.

Commercial and recreational
crab, shrimp and prawn fisheries
were closed Nov. 30, 1988 in areas
adjacent to the Woodfibre and
Port Mellon pulp mills.

Both mills have since announced
multi-million dollar programs to
upgrade their operations and
reduce the level of dioxins and
furans released in their effluents.

Prad Khare, assistant regional
manager of the provincial en-
vironment ministry's industrial
section, said the investigation of
Port Mellon was ordered because
the mill ‘tis not in compliance with
its permit.’’

He added that, to his knowi-
edge, the mili has never complied
with its provincial effluent
discharge permit. A variance of
Port Mellon’s original Nov. 26,
1976 permit was issued Feb. 23,
1981.

As to the degree of Port
Mellon’s non-compliance, Khare
would only say the mill was ‘‘con-
sistently out.’’

The mill tests its discharge ef-
fluent for suspended solids three
times per week, while tests for
other pollution indicators such as