Compliance
Canfor was in substantial compliance with regulatory requirements at its manufacturing facilities with the following exceptions:
Air
At one mill we had a small fire in a pile of accumulated hog fuel that was promptly reported to the BC Ministry of Environment. Subsequent modifications to the energy system controls at the mill have increased hog fuel burning and eliminated accumulations on the site.
At one sawmill, an energy system stack testing report was submitted three weeks after the required submission date. Reporting requirements have been reinforced with staff at the mill in question. At another sawmill, a lumber dry kiln was operated 4.27% over its authorized hours of operation. We submitted a permit amendment application in May 2014 to increase the authorized hours.
At a CHP (combined heat and power) facility, there were numerous carbon monoxide emission exceedances in January, November and December due to high moisture content fuel and bridging in the fuel infeed bins. Actions taken to address these issues include modifications to the fuel infeed bins and to air flows under the fuel pile at the front end of the combustor to improve fuel drying.
Effluent
At one mill, hydrocarbon limits were exceeded in two tests of the mobile shop oil water separator discharge. Internal investigations indicated the issue was backflow in the discharge pipe, which will be remedied when the separator is reactivated following spring thaw.
Spills
There were three reportable spills in 2014, one at a sawmill when a contractor dug up a line carrying thermal oil, another at a sawmill due to a broken hydraulic hose on a Wagner, and one at a pulp mill when untreated effluent leached from a pin chips and fines deposit. All three incidents were minor in nature, and were contained and cleaned up. Appropriate regulatory agencies were notified promptly and internal follow-up investigations completed.
Landfill
A BC Ministry of Environment inspection of one landfill indicated steep side slopes, tension cracks and presence of a small quantity of leachate, and the landfill restoration plan, required by permit, could not be located. Measures were taken to address the side slopes, tension cracks and leachate formation, and an updated landfill restoration plan was submitted to the ministry.
At one site, the final annual landfill report was submitted late due to errors in the original report. All mills were notified of the requirement to submit reports on time, and in this case, the subsequent year’s report was submitted on time.
Monetary Fines
At one of our BC sawmill operations, three $575 tickets were levied the by provincial Ministry of Environment as a result of 2011, 2012 and 2013 exceedances of authorized deposits to the landfill and related ‘failure to comply with the conditions of a permit or approval’. We have been trialing screening and rock bark separation equipment at this site in efforts to substantially reduce or eliminate landfill deposits.