Copper Cliff refinery gets 10-year extension on noise and emissions

Vale's Copper Cliff nickel refinery has received a 10-year extension that enables the company to keep running equipment that makes noise or produces emissions.

This is a routine renewal and not unique to Vale.

Ontario's Ministry of Environment and Climate Change made the final decision, as it did for Vale's Copper Cliff mine recently.

The extension requires Vale to document how it's complying with the province's emission regulations and make that information publicly available in a "public emissions table."

Warren Mabee, director of the Queen's Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy, said making the documents public provides transparency on all fronts.

"[The emissions table] isa useful thing because it can help communicate to the public not only what the company is doing, but what the government is doing to ensure public safety and public health,"Mabee said.

He said Vale has been doing a good job at reducing pollution, but like other companies, could lose its operating license if it doesn't maintain emissions below the province's thresholds.

"That's a pretty serious step. No company really wants to find themselves not in compliance with those sort of regulations," he said.

The document is available online or on site at Vale's Copper Cliff facility.

People have three more days if they wish to file a written appeal about the ministry's decision.

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