Bird Construction Industrial Services Ltd. - Environmental Compliance Approval (air)

This approval is for an Environmental Compliance Approval with Limited Operational Flexibility (air & noise) which replaces all the current Environmental Compliance Approvals for air at this facility and includes the addition of new or historically unapproved sources for all emissions from Bird Construction Industrial Services Ltd., a ready-mix concrete plant, located at Part of Lot 4, Concession 7 & 8 Township of Buchanan and Part of Lot 3, Concession 8 Village of Chalk River, Ontario.

The approval includes all sources at the facility, including:

• one concrete batching plant consisting of four dust collectors
• three storage silos, one propane fuled boiler, material conveyors, and
• various material handling operations, with a production limit of 800 cubic meters of concrete per day

Emissions to the air from this facility, include:

• portland cement
• particulate matter
• nitrogen oxides and other products of combustion

The Environmental Compliance Approval with Limited Operational Flexibility (air) requires that the company demonstrate compliance on an ongoing basis with Ontario Regulation 419/05, applicable Ministry Guidelines for air and noise and other performance requirements as specified in their conditions. It permits modifications such as process changes, de-bottlenecking or addition of new equipment subject to limits on operational flexibility that include a production limit for the facility to be specified on the Environmental Compliance Approval with Limited Operational Flexibility (air).

The limited operational flexibility conditions have an expiry date. The company will be required to make application for amendment at that time to renew these conditions. Of specific public interest, one condition that will be included on the Environmental Compliance Approval with Limited Operational Flexibility (air) will require the company to make available, at all times, at the facility for inspection by interested members of the Public, a table (emission summary table) that documents the facility's compliance with Ontario Regulation 419/05.

Comments received during the review of the application were consistent with concerns within the ministry and, as a result, terms and conditions were added. The applicant has demonstrated that when operated in accordance with this approval, the air and noise emissions from the approved equipment would be in compliance with this ministry’s applicable acts, regulations and guidelines, specifically, s. 9 of the Environmental Protection Act, Ontario Regulation 419/05: Air Pollution - Local Air Quality and noise guidelines, including ministry air quality standards and guidelines.

In order to ensure ongoing compliance with applicable standards, the applicant is required to perform the following actions as Conditions of the ECA:

• implement and update, the proposed Best Management Practices Plan (BMPP) to control fugitive dust emissions and collect site specific data (silt loading, moisture contents) as per MECP Technical Bulletin, summarizing the progress on the implementation of the BMPP for that year;
• develop and implement detailed complaint response procedure for recording, investigating and adequately addressing complaints