About a hundred citizens attended the information session organized by the Belmar Group, on Wednesday evening, regarding the activities of Sable des Forges on Industrial Street. This was an opportunity for area residents to share the harassment they face on a daily basis.
Nauseous smells, noise, dust, and the deterioration of the Lavoir stream: this problem has weighed heavily on the hearts of citizens, some of them for many years.
“We are aware and sensitive to the situation that has been going on for years. “We also want to work in cooperation with the city of Trois-Rivières, the Ministry of the Environment and Public Health,” noted Serge Bellemare, president of the Bellemare Group, from the beginning, explaining that this offer to citizens was proposed by the municipality. Council members, who are entitled to the same offer on June 3.
Belmar Group presented the nuisance mitigation measures that have been taken or will be taken to improve the coexistence of the residential sector near the Sable des Forges facilities.
In particular, the company has paved more than a kilometer of roads to reduce dust emissions, upgraded and soundproofed some equipment, added silencers to dust collector chimneys, installed soundproof walls, and is working on creating an Andean sound barrier to reduce noise emanating from the site. .
Daily preventive monitoring tours were also organized at the site and in the surrounding neighborhoods. Activities at the landfill also ended last November.
Noise, odor and dust samples collected by Bellemare's group meet standards. The company insists that “no hazardous materials are processed on site.”
Belmar Group desires to extend the dust collection chimney of its recycled glass dryer to a height of 24 metres, instead of the current 6 metres, in order to enhance the dispersion of water vapors at a higher height.
This measure was met with skepticism by many citizens. The proposed height of the chimney initially drew criticism because it would be visible in too many places. Others also fear that this will keep unpleasant odors away from the site and that this will affect neighborhoods currently less affected by this problem.
“We can't live together”
It is clear that the problems of coexistence between the company and the residents of the area will not be resolved any time soon.
“Despite your investments and mitigation measures, this has not reduced the impact of your operations on the neighborhood. I can also see the deterioration of the ecosystem near the lake. Why did you persist in developing the site? We all agree with the circular economy issue, but seeing the impact of all these changes on the neighborhood It shows that you are not in the right place. It is clear that you have made an effort, but the problem still remains: “We cannot live together,” says Hugo Courchesne.
Many of them also expressed concerns about the deterioration of the nearby lake and Lavoir River. One citizen says: “It is not clear that what you are doing does not lead to polluting the riverbed near my house.” The quality of the lake has declined and it has filled with sediment. »
Many of them expressed serious doubts about the 99.9% effectiveness of the filters, as the company stated, given the different types of dust found on their lands.
The Bellemare Group invites citizens in the sector to contact the company directly via the dedicated reporting line (873-398-0565) to share their problems related to Sable des Forges operations.
“We want to improve communications and cooperation with the neighbourhood. We have put the tools in place and we want to hear from you. We believe that through this crisis, we will set an example in Quebec regarding environmental responsibility.”
“People are starting to think about teamwork,” says Gilbert Cabana. We have to see whether it will be against the city, against the Belmar Group, or against the Ministry of the Environment. Things don't move. »
Decision on July 2
The matter will return to the agenda of the general meeting of the Trois-Rivières Municipal Council on June 2. Elected officials will have to decide for or against a zoning change on Industrial Street intended to allow glass recycling activities.
The use was permitted in the old development plan, but was removed in the new development plan approved in 2022.
Several municipal councillors, the mayor of Trois-Rivières and the city's director of planning and sustainable development were present as observers at the citizens' information session. Citizens also asked elected officials on several occasions to oppose amendments to the development plan.
“If the zoning change goes forward, we will be able to apply for a permit to build an optical glass sorting building, supplementing the existing facilities. “If it doesn’t pass, we will continue, but we will not be able to make modifications as well as some commitments to accommodate operations,” he said. Like putting silicate directly inside,” comments Mr. Bellemare.
Also at the time of the permit application, the company learned that the zoning had changed since 2022, such that the entire reassessment aspect was no longer permitted on the site.
The company also owns land on Industrial Avenue that can be developed.
