Val-des-Monts pulp and paper company fined $91,805 for environmental violations

Val-des-Monts pulp and paper company Les rebuts de pâtes et papiers de l’Outaouais Ltée has been found guilty of offences under the Environment Quality Act and will have to pay a fine of $91,805 to the Ministry of the Environment. 

The charges filed against the company relate to the failure to meet the requirements of a court order issued to the company in 2017. This order required that it carry out some of the refurbishment work by removing residual materials deposited or buried outside of authorized cells.

On May 2, 2017, the Outaouais based company was fined over $72,000 for violating nine different environmental regulations dating back to May 2011, charges that also led the Quebec government to temporarily halt the company’s activities in 2014. 

These violations, committed between May 2011 and May 2014, were issued for using and installing faulty equipment to reduce contaminant emissions and failing to collect and provide water samples and residual materials.

The company’s checkered past with the Ministry of the Environment dates back to 2008 when, under different leadership, the company was forced to pay fines of $80,800, in addition to the related costs, for committing six offences between July 31, 2002, and April 7, 2004. 

These fines were issued for failing to treat slopes of deposited waste, failing to maintain a leachate pumping system and a metering system in good working order, modifying the leaching water treatment facilities without the authorization of the department and allowing contaminated discharges into the environment.

The Ministry of Sustainable Development, Environment, and Fight Against Climate Change would like to remind readers that they can report any act or gesture that may affect the quality of the environment online at www.environnement.gouv.qc.ca or by telephone, at Urgence-Environnement, at 1 866 694-5454.