Mercer Peace River Pulp Ltd. in Alberta fined $1 million for unlawful deposit of effluent into the Peace River

PEACE RIVER, AB, Oct. 11, 2024 /CNW/ - Canadians value a safe and clean environment. Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers strive to ensure that businesses and individuals comply with laws and regulations that protect the natural environment in Canada.

On October 11, 2024, at the Alberta Court of Justice, Mercer Peace River Pulp Ltd. (Mercer Peace River) was ordered to pay a $1 million fine after pleading guilty on September 4, 2024, to one count of violating the Fisheries Act. The charge follows an investigation by Environment and Climate Change Canada enforcement officers that determined that on April 14, 2021, Mercer Peace River deposited or permitted the deposit of 30,868,000 litres of effluent (wastewater) that was acutely lethal (toxic) to fish from its pulp mill near the Town of Peace River, Alberta, into the Peace River. The deposit of acutely lethal effluent into fish-bearing waters violates a condition of the authorization to deposit effluent that is set out in subsection 6(5) of the Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations, in contravention of subsection 36(3) of the Fisheries Act.

The pulp mill operates a wastewater treatment system that treats effluent before it is released to the Peace River. The wastewater treatment system has a spill pond designed to capture and store effluent resulting from spills or unusual operating conditions. Once in the spill pond, effluent is gradually reintroduced back into the treatment system at a controlled rate to minimize its overall negative effect.

Environment and Climate Change Canada's investigation determined that the offence occurred during a maintenance shutdown of the pulp mill. The shutdown generated waste materials from process vessels and wastewater from cleaning operations which were directed into the spill pond. Mercer Peace River had not maintained sufficient capacity in the spill pond to capture the additional effluent. As a result, the spill pond did not function as designed. The investigation determined that the reduced capacity within the spill pond contributed to the offence. Mercer Peace River has since taken steps to increase the capacity of the spill pond by removing sludge and upgrading the associated pumping system.

The fine will be directed to the Government of Canada's Environmental Damages Fund.

As a result of this conviction, the company's name will be added to the Environmental Offenders Registry. The Registry contains information on convictions of corporations registered for offences committed under certain federal environmental laws.

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Quick facts

• Environment and Climate Change Canada is responsible for administering and enforcing the pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Act.
• A key provision in the pollution prevention provisions is subsection 36(3), which prohibits the deposit of deleterious substances into water frequented by fish, or in any place where they may enter water frequented by fish.
• The Pulp and Paper Effluent Regulations were developed under the Fisheries Act to manage threats of impaired water quality to fish, to fish habitat, and to human health from fish consumption. They limit the deposit of harmful substances into fish-bearing waters by pulp and paper mills and prohibit deposits of effluents that are acutely lethal to fish.
• The Peace River is a waterbody that is frequented by several fish species, including Burbot, Northern Pike, Mountain Whitefish, and Walleye.
• Created in 1995, the Environmental Damages Fund is a Government of Canada program administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada. The Fund directs monies received from fines, penalties, court orders, and voluntary payments to projects that will repair environmental damage or benefit the environment. The Fund aims to invest in areas where environmental damage has occurred.

Associated links

• Fisheries Act (Pollution Prevention Provisions)
• Frequently Asked Questions: Fisheries Act Pollution Prevention Provisions
• Testing for Toxicity to Fish
• Environmental Damages Fund
• Environmental Offenders Registry

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SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada

Contacts: Media Relations: Environment and Climate Change Canada, 819-938-3338 or 1-844-836-7799 (toll-free), [email protected]