Noranda‘s (NRD-T) Brunswick lead smelter in Belledune, New Brunswick, and two of the company’s senior managers have been charged under the Federal Environmental Protection Act for alleged violation of export permits.
The charges allege that the smelter exported more plastic for recycling than allowed for in its permits. The situation is thought to stem from possible administrative errors.
Since 1996, the smelter has been recycling automotive batteries to recover lead. The process also recovers the plastic from the battery casings, which it exports to the United States for recycling. The recycling facility processes between 200,000 and 400,000 batteries per year, mostly from the Maritime provinces.
“Although administrative in nature, we take these charges very seriously and fully intend to cooperate with the authorities in this matter,” says Daniel Picard, the smelter’s general manager, in a prepared statement. “As well as being a significant producer, Noranda is also a responsible recycler of metal and we continue to see recycling as a key growth sector with tremendous economic, environmental and social benefits.”
Last year, the Brunswick smelter produced more than 100,000 tonnes of lead and custom alloys and more than 10 million troy ounces of silver. About 15,000 tonnes of the lead produced is sourced from a number of recycled materials and secondaries.
The smelter employs about 500 people.
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