Blackwell Dairy fined $15,000 after inspection of private landfill finds unauthorized waste – Kamloops News

Photo: File KTW

Blackwell Dairy

The owners of Blackwell Dairy have been fined $15,000 after a government inspection found unauthorized waste at the farm’s private landfill.

According to documents from the British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy’s Compliance and Compliance Unit, it was determined that EJ Blackwell Holdings Ltd. breached the terms of its opt-out permit last November.

The ministry said the permit allows items such as log debris, log trimmings, hardwood veneer waste, asphalt, cement and concrete to be taken to the landfill.

The inspection revealed a number of unauthorized items, including treated wooden pallets, metal and plastic barrels, chairs and tires.

“I am particularly concerned about the metal and plastic drums that were not inspected by Blackwell Landfill prior to disposal,” a ministry spokesman wrote.

“The original contents of the barrels were not known and it was not confirmed that they were empty before they were sent to landfill. Therefore, the drums, as well as the potential for leachate from other received unauthorized wastes, may contain wastes that may cause harm to the environment, human health or safety.”

The ministry noted that fines have already been imposed on the company for illegal placement of waste at the landfill, but never for willful non-compliance.

According to the documents, the company submitted a submission to the ministry earlier this fall, saying allegations about the dumped waste were vague.

“The claimed amount of waste does not indicate a significant violation of the permit and does not indicate a risk of harm. On the contrary, the operation of the landfill generally benefits the environment as it has filled and improved more than 40 acres of land that are now being productively farmed,” Blackwell told the ministry.

The ministry said Blackwell advised them to discard some items, such as wooden spools and plastic barrels, that go to landfill and in some cases divert them for new uses.

According to the documents, Blackwell told the department that it was taking ongoing steps to ensure compliance, “including, in various cases, tracking down those who posted unauthorized materials to force them to remove those materials or taking other steps to remove the materials. »

“On occasion, individuals gained unauthorized access to the site and discarded items that Blackwell had to remove,” the company told the ministry.

Blackwell was fined $15,000.