Poultry plant ordered to clean up

Residents of a southeast Calgary neighbourhood are claiming victory in a long-standing dispute with a poultry processing plant.

Alberta Health Services recently orderedLilydaleto improve how it transports and stores waste from its operation at Hurst Road S.E. in Ramsay following years of complaints from nearby residents about spilled blood, strewn chicken parts and terrible odors.

The waste from processed chickens often ends up on the road between his house and the plant, said Ramsay resident Todd Ford on Monday.

"My daughter [once] found a chicken foot in our backyard that had been brought over by a magpie or something."

Todd is part of a group of neighbours who have been trying for years to get the processing plant to change how it operates, or move out of Ramsay.

"On Christmas Eve there was a blood spill where there was a valve or something that malfunctioned and they [drove] down the entire road creating a nice 2.5 foot wide carpet of blood. They cleaned up the worst section, which was probably a 30 or 40 foot section, and then they just stopped,"he said.

In January, Alberta Environment decided not to fine the company over that spilland a subsequent one early in the new year, noting that they were cleaned up quickly.

The province says inspections of the Lilydale plant revealed numerous violations which "may become injurious or dangerous to the public health," including:

• Offal (entrails and internal organs) in bins not filled according to any given procedure, resulting in overfilling and spillage.
• Failure to adequately contain offal and prevent spillage during transport.
• Chicken feet strewn in the yard of the plant.
• Accumulation of blood in the yard beneath the offal bin.
• Offal not adequately secured from pests.

The company was ordered to stop transporting waste bins that may leak or spill as of Feb.10.

In addition, Alberta Health Services issued several specific orders for fixing other problems. Lilydalehas until May3to put maximum fill-lines on the offal bins, instruct employees and contractors how to properly fill and secure the bins, and refrain from transporting any bins that are leaking.

The company was also told to make further improvements by Aug.16, including grading the area around the bins to stop blood from pooling and putting all waste in fly-proof, waterproof containers.

Aspokesperon from Lilydale said Tuesday it willcomply with all laws and guidelines set for the Calgary factory. Jacques Pelletier added thatthe companyhas been working with the community and city officialsfor years to address residents' concerns.

Barry Robinson, a lawyer hired by members of the community, said waste disposal is just one of the problems with the plant.

"There are also issues of ongoing odor from the plant. There is issues of noise from the plant, particularly with trucks arriving and departing at night," he said, addingthe real problem is that the plant no longer belongs in the neighbourhood.

Lilydale announced in February that it is being bought by Sofina Foods for more than $130 million, with the deal expected to be finalizedin April. Until then, Pelletier said Sofina's plans for the Calgary plant are unknown, butin the long term, the plant cannot remain at it's current location.

The province is also investigating ammonia leaks on Sept. 13 and Oct. 24. The result of that investigation is expected within two months.