Quebec’s Ministry of the Environment is considering an application filed by the Pontiac Sorting Centre for a certificate of authorization to run an authorized asbestos landfill.

The sorting centre applied for the certificate in May 2014, but it still hasn’t received approval.

The company currently holds a certificate of authorization to operate an asbestos removal facility, which was obtained in October 2013.

However, during an inspection on June 27, 2014, ministry representatives found that asbestos-contaminated materials were stored outside a building. Additionally, in October 2015, inspectors found “a large volume” of asbestos materials were stored outside the building.

Ministry of the Environment spokesperson Sophie Gauthier said that there is an estimated 30,000 cubic metres of asbestos-contaminated materials that are improperly stored.

It would take 12 Olympic-sized swimming pools, which hold 2,500 cubic metres of water each, to contain the 30,000 cubic metres of residual material.

The sorting centre processes construction and demolition waste that isn’t allowed in typical landfills. Some of the material that comes in is contaminated with asbestos – things like old pipes with asbestos lining and fireproofing material from older buildings.

Once the asbestos is removed from the construction waste, it must be put in a dust-proof bag and stored indoors to prevent asbestos fibres from getting into the air.

The October 2013 certificate of authorization to run an asbestos removal plant was amended on Aug. 23, 2017 to allow for the storage of asbestos-contaminated materials indoors.

Sorting centre Director of Operations Gerry Philippe said that when the ministry says the materials have to be stored inside, it means the material has to be covered.

He said that the asbestos that’s been removed from the construction materials on site is now being stored inside of a large tent.

He added that the sorting centre can’t dispose of the asbestos until the province approves its certificate of authorization to run an asbestos landfill.

“At this point in time we have not done any landfilling, that’s why we still have a mountain of debris,” Philippe said.

According to the ministry, residual materials containing asbestos must be covered with other materials as soon as they are unloaded in the deposit zone. The residual material then needs to be put into waterproof containers and covered with other materials immediately in order to prevent fibres from going into the air.

The sorting centre was fined more than $40,000 by the ministry of the environment on Jan. 31 in relation to non-compliance infractions.

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