Hopes for 'normal life' fade as stink from Richibucto shell plant persists

Another deadline has come and gone for Coastal Shell Products and nothing has changed for the residents of Richibucto, says the founder of the community's "Stop the Stink" campaign. 

Maisie Rae McNaughton of the Kent Clear Air Action Committee, said the smell emanating from the crustacean shell processing plant has been as bad as it's always been. 

Thursday was the deadline imposed by the government in the company's latest approval to operate.

According to the document, Coastal Shell Products was supposed to install "UV photooxidation technology" before Thursday and ensure it's "fully functional" and being used when the plant is running.

The company was also required to ensure something called "the Baghouse" was installed and fully functional by Thursday.

Both of those components were included in the company's February 2023 plan to reduce the odour residents have complained about since the plant opened in 2016. 

New comments from environment minister

But according to comments by Environment Minister Gary Crossman in the legislature on Friday, the project hasn't been completed. 

Crossman described the work as "a three-part project" and said the company is working on the second part. He said preliminary results of a pilot "confirmed that the proposed solution may be effective."

He said the department is "waiting for those results to come back and to learn more." He said he's hopeful those results will be available in "early January."

Crossman later confirmed that two of the projects are "stalled."

In the meantime, the department has extended the company's approval to operate until Aug. 31, 2024. 

Crossman said the extension is "contingent on the company providing official results of the test and its implementation of this scrubber and other parts put in place."

He said the company has a plan and the department is giving it time to implement it. 

Liberal Leader Susan Holt, who had asked the minister why nothing has changed for residents following the Nov. 30 deadline, responded by saying the company has had plans and made promises since they opened in 2016.

"It has been year after year after year for the last five years," said Holt. "You've had a chance to address it and they haven't taken action that has been successful. So when is enough enough?"  

In his responses, Crossman repeatedly reminded Holt that it was the Liberals who gave the company $2.9 million in 2016 to put it "where it is today and now we're wearing it. Thank you very much."

Crossman said the plant will not operate between Christmas and the spring, which will give the company time to test the new technology.

But that shutdown of Coastal Shell Products is "because the product it processes isn't available," according to an emailed response from the department on Friday to questions from CBC News on Thursday. 

The statement also contained more information about the testing of new equipment.

• Kent County residents in court hoping to shut down plant over stench

"With support from the school administration and the municipality, Coastal Shells recently conducted a test pilot of its proposed new pollution control technology."

Department spokesperson Clarissa Andersen said the testing "confirmed that the proposed solution may be effective."

Messages left at the company's office, and for president Omer Gaudet, were not returned. 

More upgrades, another deadline

The latest approval, which took effect on Aug. 1, includes a separate deadline that deals specifically with odours. It requires the company to install new "odour control technology" at the plant before July 31, 2024. 

Judging by the smell that continues to waft through the community, McNaughton said that if anything changed inside the plant as of the initial Nov. 30 deadline, it hasn't made a difference.

"Nothing has changed in terms of the smell or the sound. This past Sunday, the smell — it was incredible. When it was not even running, the ambient odours were just out of control. But on a Sunday, inspections won't happen." 

McNaughton said she's not surprised by the latest extension to the company's approval to operate. 

She said residents are beginning to expect continued approvals — regardless of what the company does. 

"This is just yet another slap in the face by the Higgs government to the people of Richibucto and Beaurivage," McNaughton said after hearing about the extension. 

"We are tired. We are frustrated. We are heartbroken."

As for Crossman's assertion that initial test results indicated the new technology "may" be effective, McNaughton isn't satisfied.

"May get better? That's not good enough for me."

In the meantime, McNaughton said residents "can't live a normal life."

"Our sleeping cycles are affected, our mental health is affected, our tourism is affected."

She said people want to leave the community but house values have dropped. 

"Irreparable harm has occurred, is occurring, and it looks like, will continue to occur to the members of my community," said McNaughton. 

Residents have banded together and gone to court to try to get an injunction against the company. 

On Aug. 1, they made their case in front of Justice Christa Bourque, who reserved decision on the injunction. 

So far, no decision has been made, said Vincent Savoie, one of the lawyers for the residents. 

While residents await word on the injunction, Savoie said a separate civil action against the company and its owners continues to make its way through the courts.