More details of the over-permit level stack emissions at the Pinnacle Pellet plant east of Burns Lake have emerged, although not timeline can be established for when emissions are expected to fall within permit requirements.
Of five measured discharges, only one falls outside of permit requirements. Hammermills, biosizers, pelletizers and coolers have all met permit requirements. Dryer discharges of particulate matter range from 42 mg/m3 to 415 mg/m3, with an average discharge of 175 mg/m3. The permit requirement is 60 mg/m3.
Dryer flow rates, another permit requirement, have fallen within permit limits.
The ministry of environment is ‘very concerned that the emissions from Pinnacle Pellet are not meeting permit requirements,’ and they continue to work with Pinnacle to establish compliance.
Pinnacle Pellet has received four compliance warnings from the ministry. Operational consequences of those warnings have included: the temporary shut down of dryers, modification of operations, installation of meteorological weather equipment to track and interpret plume flow. Pinnacle has also recently purchased mobile air quality monitoring equipment.
Despite the ministry’s concern for local air quality, the situation can be described as one of ongoing cooperation between Pinnacle Pellet and the ministry of environment to get emissions within permit requirements.
