NB News: Coastal Shell Products in Richibucto has suspended all activities

Coastal Shell Products in Richibucto, NB, has suspended all operations.

The company announced this in a press release sent on Saturday evening.

The press release states that despite efforts to continue supplying the New Brunswick mussel industry, the operating restrictions imposed by the provincial government over the past two years have created a financial situation that makes it no longer possible for the company to operate.

Jamie Goguen, products manager at Coastal Shell, said the company has spent more than a year and a half trying to work with the provincial and federal governments to implement a plan to address residents’ complaints about the odor from the Richibucto plant.

The gate to the Coastal Shell Products facility is pictured on May 23, 2023. (Derek Haggett/CTV)

“We have invested hundreds of thousands, incurred a loss of over $1.2 million and continued to employ over 25 people to demonstrate our commitment to addressing public concerns and our commitment to New Brunswick’s mussel industry, which relies on Coastal Shell for waste disposal,” Goguen said in the release.

Twenty employees have been laid off, and more layoffs are pending.

Goguen further stated that despite public allegations and numerous media reports, Coastal Shell Products is operating within provincial guidelines.

“Ongoing and intensive provincial testing has never found Coastal Shell to be in violation of air quality standards,” Goguen said. “We have continued to work with the Ministry of Environment and have complied with all requirements.”

There are ten processing plants in the province that rely on Coastal Shell Products to dispose of lobster and crab shells.

For years, residents have complained about foul smells and loud noises coming from the plant, which turns seafood waste into products such as fertilizer for export.

The Kent Clean Air Action Committee (KCAAC) has been voicing its concerns about the power station for more than a year.

“My community hopes this is truly the end and not a strategy by coastal mussel producers to force the government to relax its requirements and provide more funding. We are optimistic but remain vigilant in our fight for clean air,” committee member Maisie Rae McNaughton said in an email to CTV News. “The meeting scheduled for Tuesday with Minister Glen Savoie and my organization remains a priority. What happened in Richibucto should not happen to any other community in New Brunswick. We will continue to fight to reduce the possibility of future activities that could put people’s health and safety at risk.”

The province shortened operating hours after numerous residents of the plant complained about odor nuisance.

Goguen said tests and investigations never revealed any evidence of an environmental problem, but the company has not been allowed to resume full operations.

“These restrictions have resulted in millions of dollars in lost revenue, an operating loss of over $1.2 million, and ongoing false allegations regarding the impact on our plant,” Goguen said.

Goguen said the restrictions have prevented Coastal Shell Products from raising funds to address the air quality problem that KCAAC says has plagued the region for years.

“We have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in developing the solution and ensured that the proposed technology, which has already proven itself in solving similar problems at other locations, would solve all the problems. However, our operational limitations have precluded any potential public or private investment because we cannot demonstrate a return on investment without extending opening hours,” he said.

Goguen said that thanks to Coastal Shell Products, thousands of tons of shellfish waste are kept out of landfills.

The plant has been in operation since 2017.