Collingwood Ethanol Plant
Fined 300 Thousand Dollars
For Violating Environmental
Protection Rules
Plant To Shut Down June 30th
To Install New Odour and Noise Reduction Equipment
Collingwood Ethanol, now known as Amaizeingly Green, pleaded guilty to Ministry of Environment Charges for violating the Environment Protection Act
Collingwood's Ethanol plant, now known as Amaizeingly Green, has been hit with a 300 thousand dollar fine after pleading guilty to charges from the Ministry of Environment for violating the Environmental Protection Act. Friday's court date (June 19, 2009) followed two years of noise and odour issues, Ministry of Environment testing and ongoing complaints from east end Collingwood residents.
Amaizeingly Green was also fined 25 thousand dollars after pleading guilty to operating equipment without necessary MOE approvals. In addition, the court has instructed the plant to pay five thousand dollars for each of three charges for violating Collingwood's sewer use bylaw.
The Town of Collingwood has now dropped a charge of Public Nuisance against Collingwood Ethanol that had earlier been issued under section 447.1 of the Municipal Act. This action took place on Tuesday August 19, 2008, following an in-camera meeting of Collingwood Council the night before. Mayor Chris Carrier told A Channel News on Friday, June 19th, that these latest developmens represent progress for the plant and for the community. "Everybody wants to have that plant working well and not having a negative impact, including the people who own the plant and the people who work there" Carrier said.