British Columbia landfill firm has waste discharge permit cancelled

The British Columbia Minister of Environment Mary Polak has canceled a waste discharge permit held by South Island Aggregates/Cobble Hill Holdings Ltd. for its waste disposal facility near Shawnigan Lake, British Columbia, Canada.

In a statement released on February 23, Minister Polak says, “Effective immediately, I am cancelling the waste discharge permit for Cobble Hill Holdings because the company has failed to meet the requirements outlined in my January 27 letter.

“The company was given 15 business days to provide three required documents and submitted only two prior to the deadline given. Specifically, the company failed to provide the Province with adjusted financial security in the form of an irrevocable letter of credit.

“Cobble Hill Holdings has been provided multiple opportunities to respond to outstanding non-compliances and has repeatedly missed deadlines with respect to its permit requirements.

“Ministry staff are taking actions to ensure material on the property is managed in a way that does not present a risk to human health or the environment.

“My decision to cancel the waste discharge permit is based on information and advice from staff who are technical experts in their field.”

The minister’s letter of cancellation and reasons for decision can be found at: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/air-land-water/site-permitting-compliance/sia

In August 2013, South Island Aggregates/Cobble Hill Holdings was granted a permit under the province’s Environmental Management Act (EMA) to receive contaminated soils and ash and process it through bioremediation or landfilling, and discharge treated effluent to an ephemeral stream.

The permit was specific to contaminated soil management activities. Other activities taking place at the site would not require a permit under EMA.

The permit was appealed and the Environmental Appeal Board upheld the permit decision; the permit was amended on June 4, 2015 to incorporate additional requirements as directed by the Environmental Appeal Board.

The permit requires that contact water (leachate) from the engineered lined soil management area and the engineered lined landfill facility be collected and, as necessary, treated, to achieve stringent water quality guidelines, prior to release to the environment. Other non-contact water is managed according to requirements specified in the permit and the water management plan.