A08 • Wednesday, June 1, 2011 • The Record
City staff to do detailed inspections of waste biz BY THERESA MCMANUS REPORTER tmcmanus@royalcityrecord.com
A local recycling company’s plan to expand has highlighted a number of issues at the industrial site. Representatives of Urban Wood Waste Recyclers Ltd., a division of Harvest Power, recently sought city council’s support for the company’s request for a federal grant to help it expand its operation in the Braid industrial area. The business accepts construction and demolition waste materials and processes them for recycling. Keith Coueffin, the city’s manager of licensing and inspections, said the city will be doing detailed site investigations of Urban Wood Waste Recyclers in the near future. “We have done some preliminary work,” he said. “We will be doing detailed inspections in the very near future.” A staff report presented to council on Monday outlined a number of issues related to the storing and sorting of recycled materials, building permits, business license and dust pollution. “City staff were unaware of any concerns regarding this business until very recently when a complaint was received relating to dust pollution and the operation not complying with zoning regulations,” said a staff report. “Staff have subsequently viewed the site and met with the operators of the business. Staff also consulted businesses in the vicinity and Metro Vancouver staff.” Staff from various city departments will be doing detailed inspections of the site, which has revealed a number of bylaw and nuisance issues with its current operation. The city has also recommended that the company set up a minimum of two meetings with neighbouring businesses and residents to discuss its operating practices and plans for bylaw compliance and to hear from its neighbours. Mike Fournier, regional vice president of Harvest Power, said the company is pleased to work with the city, its neighbours and residents to address any
issues, some of which were inherited when Harvest Power purchased the company in September 2010. He said the company recognizes the need to improve its operations and is taking steps to do so. “It’s fair to say that we will fix the issues,” he said. Steve Rooney, president of Westcoast Cylinders Inc., said the air pollution from the recycling plant has created a “serious mess” for its neighbours for a long time. “We are covered by particulate falling from the sky,” he said. “It is like it is snowing.” Rooney said the problem isn’t as noticeable in the winter and spring when there’s natural moisture in the air, but becomes problematic as soon as there are a few consecutive dry days. “It has been a continual problem. We have been fighting this. We have been on them for the last four or five years,” he said. “Nothing happens.” Rooney is hopeful that the new owner’s plans for the site mean the situation will improve. Already, its expansion plans have prompted visits from city department. “Everybody is now taking a good look at this,” he said. “I think they got caught with their pants down.” When calls have been made to city hall in the past, Rooney said people were told to call Metro Vancouver as it was an air quality issue. With the expansion processes triggering a city review, he hopes improvements will be forthcoming. “I am hoping some positive change is coming out of it,” he said. Coun. Jonathan Cote said the city wants the company to bring its current operation into compliance with city and regional requirements before it considers any expansion or the site. “The existing issues are primary,” he said. “That is going to be the first concern.” For more on this story, visit Theresa McManus’s Only in New West blog. Go to www. royalcityrecord.com and click on Only in New West under blogs.
File photo/THE RECORD
Problems: Urban Wood Waste Recyclers Ltd. has a number of issues related to the
storing and sorting of recycled materials, building permits, a business licence and dust pollution.
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