A Charlie Lake company has been fined $43,000 for burning commercial wood pallets in violation of waste disposal rules under the Environmental Management Act.
The penalty was issued in February after a joint investigation by the ministry's environmental enforcement unit and conservation officers on January 24, 2021. At a January hearing, the company counter-argued the burning debris pile contained “fallen trees, brush and untreated blocking” and that the pallet wood that was observed and photographed was fencing. The company argued that “hundreds of pallets” were stacked on its property awaiting reuse, and that the pallets were not treated with chemicals.
The adjudicator levied a base fine of $20,000, and ultimately increased the penalty to $43,000 based on aggravating factors and previous contraventions by the company.