Magog chemical plant vows to clear parked rolling stock

Akzo Nobel is investing $1.2 million in its Magog facility to optimize the logistics of its sodium chloratecarrying rail cars.

The objective, the company says, is to free up the rails from the Venice sector in Magog and in the Deauville sector. Several cars remain parked on the shores of Lake Magog, which has annoyed neighbors, especially since the Lac-mégantic tragedy.

Work should be completed in June and will increase the storage capacity of the company's cars on its land.

Although the cars parked near Lake Magog do not all belong to Akzo Nobe, the company says the removal of the cars belonging to the company will significantly improve the overall situation and should reduce the number days when one or more of cars are stored in the Deauville sector by 90 per cent.

Cars belonging to other companies, which carry other products such as oil or propane, will not be accepted on Akzo Nobel land. It is likely cars will still have to be stored in the Venice area, but in smaller quantities.

The Magog Citizens Committee and some residents of the Deauville sector applaud Akzo Nobel's decision but are concerned that the railway’s owner, CMQ, wants to take advantage of the situation to store cars carrying even more dangerous materials, such as propane or oil.

Nobel has not received any commitment from CMQ to this effect. Nobel said it wants the hazardous materials eliminated, but emphasizes that the goal is also to eliminate noise and visual annoyances.

Akzo Nobel recently announced the sale of its specialty chemicals division, which includes the Magog company. The Dutch chemical giant has sold its shares to American investment fund the Carlyle Group and the sovereign fund of Singapore GIC.

The Carlyle Fund is considered one of the largest asset management groups in the world, with $178 billion in assets.

The transaction should be finalized by the end of 2018.