Olybro Inc. was convicted of one violation under the Environmental Protection Act and was fined $110,000, plus a victim fine surcharge of $27,500.
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The conviction relates to having control of and spilling a pollutant ammonia that was likely to cause an adverse effect, and for failing to notify the ministry of the spill circumstances and the actions taken.
Olybro Inc. is registered in Ontario and is based in Quebec. The company operates a poultry processing facility on Orenda Road in Brampton where it processes/packages poultry products for distribution to retail stores and restaurants.
Part of Olybro’s production process involves flash freezing poultry products in freezers that use ammonia as a refrigerant. The facility, including the freezer, is in production during day and evening shifts, and typically shuts down overnight and on weekends for cleaning.
On June 24, 2018, an Olybro employee commenced the cleaning process, which involves spraying the freezer coils containing ammonia with hot water. At about 7:00 a.m. a 250 psi pressure release valve in the system released and discharged ammonia into a relief stack. The relief stack vented the ammonia outside the building from a discharge point located approximately 30 feet above the ground and 31 feet from the nearest entrance.
However, the relief stack was equipped with a diffuser cap which directed ammonia downward rather than outward or upward. Due in part to the light rain and wind direction, the discharged ammonia formed a vapour plume that drifted through an open door and service entrance.
Employees evacuated the facility, with some travelling through the open door and through the low-lying ammonia vapour plume. Shortly after the ammonia discharge, the company notified the Brampton Fire Department, which in turn notified the Peel Regional Police and Paramedic Services.
At 8:41a.m. while plant staff remained evacuated, Peel Regional Police notified the ministry’s Spills Action Centre (SAC). Olybro did not notify the ministry’s SAC. As a result of the ammonia discharge, approximately 100 Olybro employees were evacuated from the facility and eight employees sustained adverse health effects from exposure to ammonia vapour.
The ministry’s Environmental Investigations and Enforcement Branch investigated and laid two charges which resulted in one conviction. ■