Skip to content

BREAKING: Teck fined $37,500 for exceeding air emissions at Kootenay coal mine

Half of stack tests at Elkview Operations from 2014 to 2019 exceeded the permit limit
15859139_web1_TeckFine_2_Screen-Shot-2019-03-07-at-11.52.42-AM
Teck has been fined $37,500 for exceeding air emission permit limits at Elkview Operations in Sparwood. Environmental Compliance BC/Twitter

Teck Coal has been fined $37,500 for infractions related to air emissions in Sparwood.

On Thursday, the B.C. Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy tweeted Elkview Operations had been issued an Administrative Monetary Penalty (AMP) under the Environmental Management Act.

“The penalty is for failing to comply with the permit limit for particulate matter and for failing to maintain its coal breaker stack equipment in June of 2018,” said the Ministry.

It explained Teck had a pattern of non-compliance with the coal breaker stack tests.

From 2014 to 2019, five of 10 stack tests exceeded the permit limit. Exceedances were significant, ranging from 65 per cent to 252 per cent over the permit limit.

According to the Ministry, AMPs are discretionary financial penalties that can be administered with less onerous procedural and legal requirements than a court prosecution, making them an effective and efficient enforcement option.

“To date, 100 per cent of all Administrative Penalties have been paid,” said the Ministry.



editor@thefreepress.ca

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter

15859139_web1_TeckFine_Screen-Shot-2019-03-07-at-11.46.49-AM-copy