Northvolt's Toxic Outflow Worrying CMM

Northvolt's Toxic Outflow Worrying CMM

The Metropolitan Community of Montreal (CMM) is sounding the alarm over potential hazards from industrial pollutant releases from Northvolt's site into the Richelieu River, a vital water source for thousands of residents. CMM is pressuring the government to intervene if the project falters, yet the authorities emphasize that Northvolt remains "accountable."

Our platform exposed, on Monday, that the Northvolt site, which claimed 240 million dollars from the government, has discharged various pollutants several times in recent months, even carcinogenic substances. The Quebec Ministry of the Environment even issued two "non-compliance" notices to the now-insolvent company for breaching the Environment Quality Act.

These leaks, initially denied by Northvolt in December, have the CMM alarmed. The impending battery factory project lies within the CMM's jurisdiction, and the Richelieu River snakes through it. "The CMM is certainly concerned about these pollutant leaks and their possible impact on the Richelieu River," the association of 82 municipalities said in a written statement.

The CMM acknowledges it has "no control over what is happening," since "the pollutants discharged from the Northvolt site that end up directly in the Richelieu River are not within the purview of the CMM's regulations."

The CMM urges the government to keep tabs on the situation and intervene if Northvolt abandons the plant project and leaves its impressive site close to the river. "The Quebec government will be responsible for ensuring the site is restored," the CMM asserted.

The possibility of the project's demise, which the Legault government has praised multiple times, on which it has spent 510 million dollars, is "a hypothetical scenario," according to the office of Environment Minister Benoit Charette. "At the current moment, the company is responsible for managing and incurring the expenses of the site," it added.

"This exemplifies that flouting environmental rules is never a good idea. The government should have taken the time to ensure that the Richelieu River is not contaminated," lamented Nature Quebec director-general Alice-Anne Simard.

"The current Quebec government unfortunately adopts the worst positions regarding its responsibilities for the health of the environment," concurred Patricia Clermont, spokesperson for the Quebec Association of Physicians for the Environment.

Further concerns have surfaced over the past months about the potential consequences of the project on the river. Northvolt aims to pump 25 million liters of water per day to supply its plant, and the company is convinced it can discharge the water used in industrial processes into the river.

Valuation of the Northvolt site:Is the Northvolt site still worth the 240 million dollars spent by the Legault government, considering that it might be returned if the electric vehicle battery plant project is abandoned?

"It is reasonable to assume that the value of land acquired by Northvolt remains at least 240 million dollars, since the company has invested more than 100 million in recent months to develop the land, continue decontamination, and enhance access," the Ministry of Economy, Innovation, and Energy replied briefly.

The site had been purchased for 20 million dollars in 2015 by its former owner. In the past, the vast site along the Richelieu River has been used for multiple industrial productions, and more than 50,000 tons of contaminated soil still exist there today.

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More to Explore:

• The recent struggles of Swedish battery manufacturer, Northvolt, putting financial pressure on its projects
• Environmental concerns as a result of contaminated sites and the potential effects on water sources like the Richelieu River
• The financial implications and potential consequences for investors in light of Northvolt's bankruptcy and the future of its projects.

1. The Metropolitan Community of Montreal (CMM) is urging the government to monitor the situation at Northvolt's site, expressing concern about potential pollutant leaks that may impact the Richelieu River, a vital water source for thousands of residents.
2. Nature Quebec director-general Alice-Anne Simard lamented the possible disregard for environmental rules, stating that the government should have taken measures to prevent contamination of the Richelieu River.
3. The Quebec Association of Physicians for the Environment expresses concern about the government's stance on environmental responsibilities, suggesting that it adopts poor positions regarding the health of the environment.
4. Northvolt aims to use 25 million liters of water per day to supply its plant, and the company wants to discharge the water used in industrial processes into the Richelieu River, which raises further concerns about the potential consequences for the river.
5. The question of whether the Northvolt site, purchased for 240 million dollars by the Legault government, still holds its value if the electric vehicle battery plant project is abandoned remains unanswered, particularly considering the site's history of industrial contamination.

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