Moncton residents call for AIM to leave over noise, smells
Company says it is working on installing sound barrier, other steps to address concerns
Residents of Moncton's east end held a protest Friday over an American Iron & Metal scrapyard near their homes.
They want it relocated.
"You can't sit out in your backyard without being bombarded with all sorts of noise," JoAnn McCarthy, whose backyard is a few hundred metres from the site, said in an interview.
"Loud crashing machines, backup alarms, horn honking, it just goes on and on.... We've been here for 30 years and it's only the past year that we've been bothered by this."
The residents say noise, smells and traffic issues ramped up last year after the scrapyard, off Toombs Street, was taken over by American Iron & Metal, known as AIM.
The Quebec-based company's Saint John port operation was shut down after a fire in September, resulting in increased activity at its Moncton site.
Romain Viel, a lawyer representing AIM, issued a statement Friday saying the company understands the importance of addressing residents' concerns.
"AIM realizes the impact that noise from industrial operations may have on the surrounding community," the statement said.
It says the company has taken steps to mitigate the smell of propane from tanks it processes and is working on ways to reduce noise.
The statement says a third-party sound and vibration engineer was hired, which led to a proposal to the city to add a sound barrier. The company says it is applying for permits for the barrier.
Company using rail yard, city says
Elaine Aucoin, the city's general manager of sustainable growth and development services, said in a statement that the municipality has been working with the company and the province on ways to address concerns.
The statement says the company has started using the CN railyard in the city's west end to transfer material from trucks to rail cars, reducing the amount temporarily piled at the company's Toombs Street location.
The city says an inspection earlier this month found scrap piles are lower and smaller.
Six months ago, the size of the piles led to fire-code compliance issues. The company agreed to temporarily halt accepting new material at the site as it reduced the scale of the piles.
AIM's approval to operate remains valid until July 31. Among its conditions are requirements to submit plans to control odour, dust, and site run-off, the city said.
The protest at the corner of Toombs and Mill Road drew city councillors and the MLA for the area.
Residents like Roy MacMullin said they've sent many complaints to the city and the province, which regulates the facility, but haven't noticed the changes they hoped to see and hear.
"We need to amp this up because what we're finding is, although the politicians talk to us and they try to investigate, answer our questions, we're not seeing a lot of movement," MacMullin said.
He said they will continue to apply pressure.
"Civil disobedience, whatever it takes, it will happen. Because we cannot go on, this is not the right place."
Daniel Allain, PC MLA for Moncton East, was at the protest. He said he agrees with residents that there is a problem, and he worries a fire could break out like in Saint John.
"I'm here to listen to the residents to make sure that when ... we have the Legislative Assembly working next week, that I provide details to my caucus members that we can't stand for this on the long term," Allain said.
Moncton's Deputy Mayor Paulette Thériault was also at the protest and said there have been years of concerns about Toombs Street during her 16 years on council.
"We're really trying to work with our other colleagues, it's not just a Moncton issue," Thériault said.
"We have to work with our provincial colleagues on this as well. And we have a really wonderful group of citizens who live here who want to live in peace and in harmony."
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