Three directors of Abingdon Meat Packers Limited pleaded guilty to two offences each and were fined a total of $12,000 for discharging odours causing an adverse effect and violating ministry orders and approvals, contrary to the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) and the Ontario Water Resources Act (OWRA).
Abingdon Meat Packers provided a lamb and veal killing service at their facility in Niagara. In July 2004, the company began construction of a new plant adjacent to their former plant, which was completed in June 2007.
The company had ministry approval issued on April 15, 2005 which was revoked and replaced with an amended approval on October 7, 2008, according to the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.
The ministry said it received odour complaints from 2003 to May 2014. Ministry orders were issued to the company requiring them to implement odour-control actions and to retain an engineer to submit an application for the necessary approvals to the ministry. The order was not complied with.
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The matter was referred to the Ministry’s Investigations and Enforcement Branch and, following an investigation, charges were laid.
On September 23, 2016, Lucio DeSimone pleaded guilty to one offence under the EPA and one offence under the OWRA, received a suspended sentence and was fined $2,500 plus a victim fine surcharge of $625 with two years to pay.
On the same date, Antonio DeSimone pleaded guilty to one offence under the EPA and one offence under the OWRA, received a suspended sentence and was fined $5,000 plus a victim fine surcharge of $1,250 with two years to pay.
Also on the same date, Joseph DeSimone pleaded guilty to one offence under the EPA and one offence under the OWRA, received a suspended sentence and was fined $4,500 plus a victim fine surcharge of $1,125 with two years to pay.
Court bulletin from www.news.ontario.ca
