There’s something in the air
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following letter, addressed to Environment Minister Margaret Miller, was submitted to the Truro Daily News for publication. Dear Minister Miller, I am writing to you today as MLA of Truro-Bible Hill-Millbrook-Salmon River with regard to a serious odor problem my constituents and I have been experiencing for some time due to emissions from the Rothsay rendering plant on Lower Truro Road and Northeast Nutrition on Willow Street in Truro.
Although the Rothsay plant is not located in my constituency, my constituents have to contend with the extremely unpleasant odors that emanate on a regular basis throughout the Truro area.
This is not the first time I have been compelled to contact the Department of Environment about this issue. But I have recently been informed by Truro town councilors that constituents are calling them to complain about the odor once again.
The last time this issue came up, I was told by DoE officials that the particulate matter in the air is monitored and it was within the legal limits. Unfortunately, this does not address the issue of the terrible smell that our community experiences. I was told at that time the reason the smell had become worse than usual was because of the addition of chicken feathers to the mix of substances being rendered – but that Rothsay was working with a new scrubber and was attempting to get the right balance.
Things seemed to get slowly better but the smell has worsened again and with the heat and humidity we’ve been experiencing this summer, it is preventing people from enjoying their backyards, patios, outdoor trails, and is even making it impossible to leave windows open to cool homes due to the unbearable smell.
One town councilor told me he has had to stop walking the Cobequid Trail because the smell makes him sick.
The other industrial plant that is a major concern with regard to odor and air quality in Truro, which constituents are also complaining about is Northeast Nutrition on Willow Street, which makes fish pellets. Town councilors are receiving numerous complaints about the unbearable odor emanating from that industrial plant as well.
I feel very bad for nearby citizens who have to live with this smell day in and day out – including the community of Millbrook First Nation which is located in close proximity.
I have personally experienced the odor in the vicinity, particularly when I have attended funerals at a nearby funeral home. We are not just talking about a “bad smell” here – a number of times when I stepped out of my car it took everything I had not to wretch in the parking lot! This is not the kind of experience we want people to have, whether citizens or visitors.
I would like to request that you, as Minister, direct your department to see if both of these plants are working properly and within regulations – but even more importantly, to come up with potential solutions to this problem of unacceptable levels of odor.
For instance, I noticed on a business trip to Germany to tour that country’s sustainable energy plants and businesses that their industrial plants have odorless, smokeless stacks. I was told they have high environmental standards and their industrial plants must use a type of scrubber that protects both the environment and peoples’ health.
Why can’t our industrial plants here in Nova Scotia be kept to the same standards?
I am willing to meet with you and/or officials from your department to discuss this urgent issue and I know Truro Town Council would also like to have a meeting with someone from your department, to address this matter.
Truro citizens are not happy with the situation as it now stands and it is our collective belief that it is unacceptable to live in these conditions, which are making many of us sick. This cannot be healthy for the environment or for people.
Please help us resolve this problem once and for all. Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.
I look forward to hearing from you. Lenore Zann, MLA (Truro-Bible HillMillbrook-Salmon River)