Contaminated land in Bécancour: the ministry of the Environment has completed its internal investigation

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Monday, 17 July, 2017 15:27

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Monday, 17 July, 2017 15:27

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BÉCANCOUR – The ministry of sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight against climate change (MDDELCC) announced last Friday the results of its internal investigation report regarding the case management of the contaminated ground of the chemin Louis-Riel in Bécancour.

In a press release, the department indicated “that the record of the contaminated site in Bécancour, has been managed in accordance with the laws and regulations that apply to them”. The regional branch of the MDDELCC may, therefore, resume in hand the management of this case, which was withdrawn and entrusted to the deputy minister last fall.

The land, an area equivalent to 40 football pitches, is being contaminated by 184 000 tons of aluminum waste. These residues are from the previous owner of the site, Recycling aluminium Quebec.

The ministry knew that the land was contaminated for the past 10 years, but no action of decontamination has been undertaken. This is the last fall that this case has been made public in the media.

The department has mentioned that it wanted to put forward a new approach to intervention in the management and control of contaminated land. An expert committee will be formed and the department wants to improve communications with municipalities.

This intention is pleasing to the mayor of Bécancour, Jean-Guy Dubois, who wishes to “at least be well informed to be able to intervene in case of need, because people are better informed, it is the same when the rest of us”.

With regard to the decontamination of the site, the analyses are still in progress. The mayor of Bécancour, believes that concrete actions could be laid next spring.