Cascades containerboard facility fined for air pollution violations

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has fined Quebec-based Cascades Containerboard Packaging Inc. a $375,000 civil penalty for persistent odors and air pollution violations at its containerboard plant in Niagara Falls, New York.

DEC reports that it had investigated the facility and found that it violated the state’s air and water quality laws and regulations governing operations at the Niagara Falls facility. Violations included emitting noxious odors to the surrounding neighborhood; failing to properly operate and maintain the facility’s anaerobic digester and two activated sludge reactors; operating unpermitted air pollution emission sources within the facility’s wastewater treatment plant and sludge processing and handling systems; failure to report equipment malfunctions; and releasing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emissions that exceeded the allowable ambient H2S concentrations off-site.

In addition to the $375,000 penalty, the DEC is requiring Cascades to upgrade its equipment in order to protect air and water quality at that facility. According to a news release from the DEC on the enforcement action, the company will need to invest about $2 million to modify and upgrade operations to meet DEC requirements to ensure the facility complies with air and water quality regulations.

“DEC took swift action to hold Cascades Containerboard accountable for intolerable odors that adversely impacted the health and outdoor enjoyment of the surrounding neighborhood, particularly during the summer months,” says New York DEC Commissioner Basil Seggos. “DEC’s consent order builds upon our comprehensive investigation to find and address the cause of Cascades’ violations and brings the facility into full compliance for the protection of the Niagara Falls community and the region’s natural resources.”