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The Quebec government yesterday closed a Cantley landfill site that emitted hydrogen sulphide gas toxic enough to force some residents from their homes during an underground fire in 2005.
André Guibord, a spokesman for landfill owners Gilles Proulx and Denzil Thom, said the owners will do everything legally possible to keep the site open despite the 88-page ruling by the Quebec administrative tribunal.
The ministry of environment ordered the site closed at 2 p.m. yesterday and told the owners’ numbered company—which has been under bankruptcy protection since July—to maintain the site indefinitely.
“We will fight this all the way,” Mr. Guibord said. “We could request a judicial review of the tribunal decision or appeal to the Quebec Superior Court. The ministry of environment is not interested in taking over the site because that is not their business. And the owners won’t be able to maintain the site if they don’t receive any revenue from garbage.”
Mr. Guibord said the landfill could reopen until the Quebec administrative tribunal or the Quebec Superior Court can hear another appeal.
The dry material landfill on Highway 307 was ordered closed Sept. 20, 2006, because it lacked proper wells to test groundwater for contamination.
The landfill remained open while the owners appealed the government order to close. The operators argued the landfill complies with all Quebec environmental regulations.
The ministry has investigated the landfill more than 17 times for alleged infractions since it opened in 1989 and levied more than $100,000 in fines.
Robert McClelland, a spokesman for neighbours, said the Quebec government may be stuck cleaning up the site if it follows the pattern set by the closing of the Shipshaw construction materials landfill in Saguenay in 2004.
The province cleaned up the Shipshaw landfill after the owner declared bankruptcy.
© The Ottawa Citizen 2007