Residents fuming over 'horrible smell' of animal carcasses in Rivière-des-Prairies
Residents in the Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles borough are fuming on social media over the "horrible smell" of carcasses strewn across the road, in what is just their latest grievance against the rendering company Sanimax.
A Facebook post published Wednesday appeared to show an uncovered truck with meat scattered on the pavement.
"You can imagine the smell and just the look of it. It was just horrible," said resident Michael Muldoon.
The scene occurred near a bus stop Tuesday morning, according to Muldoon.
"They had that intersection blocked while they were shoveling these animal carcasses into containers and trying to clean up this mess," he said.
According to Montreal bylaws, trucks must be "totally waterproof and covered," said borough mayor Chantal Rouleau.
"Obviously, on the photos and videos we could see, the regulations were not respected," she told Radio-Canada.
Sanimax, which renders animal and food by-products, defended itself, saying the truck lost its tarp after having to slam on the brakes at the intersection.
The company's general manager, Eric Caputo, added that truck belonged to a supplier, "but even though it was not our driver, we addressed the situation with our customer, saying it's unacceptable and this is not something we want to [have] happen in RDP."
Rouleau said the images of the spill have been forwarded to the City of Montreal's environment directorate and legal department for the "appropriate follow up" and that all legal options are being explored.
Not a new nuisance
Sanimax has drawn the ire of residents in the past over its Rivière-des-Prairies plant.
A Facebook page, "Sanimax SOS by le Mouvement Citoyens du RDP," was created in 2012 to address the "odours, truck traffic and water contamination in relation to operations at Sanimax."
According to the group, "over 1,000 homes, representing well over 3,000 people," live within one kilometre of the company's plant.
"It's just a horrible smell and it could last for 10 seconds or it could last for five days depending on what's going on at that plant," said Muldoon who lives half a kilometre from the facility.
The smell from the plant takes a toll on the quality of life in the neighbourhood, he added, especially in the summer when people are in their backyards.
"You invite guests over and you don't know if it's going to be a good day or a bad day."
Sanimax has received tickets worth nearly $800,000 in the past – infractions that the company is fighting in court.
Caputo said the company has invested over $70 million in the last 15 years in Montreal to deal with the inconveniences caused by the plant, including $5 million a year to keep the facility's equipment "close to state-of-the-art."
"We are doing a lot. The situation has improved a lot," he said.
Muldoon isn't convinced.
"They put a plan together but then it's been nothing but lip service, you know. At one point, enough is enough. We want to get on with our lives."
