The hours are counted for Recycle Gypse Québec, which presents itself as the “number one” for recycling gypsum in the province. While the Ministry of the Environment is investigating the company, the owner of the site it operates, the public transport organization Exo, has given it until the end of the month to leave the premises.
One of the buildings where Recycle Gypse piles up its construction waste, in Delson, is literally full to bursting. A surplus of old materials escapes from one of the gutted sheet metal walls. In the back, out of sight, the company forms heaps of residue that are several meters high.
On its website, however, it boasts of its environmental values: “All our operations are carried out in harmony with nature and the environment, it is a source of pride for our company. »
However, the company collects infringements. Four notices of non-compliance have been issued by the Ministry of the Environment since 2017, in particular for carrying out activities without a certificate of authorization. Recycle Gypse is currently under investigation, confirmed to the Duty the Ministry of the Environment, which does not want to comment.
A situation that led to a legal tussle between the company and Exo, owner of the site. As part of an order before the Superior Court, Recycle Gypse had also agreed to leave the land at the end of its lease, which expired on December 31.
Recycle Gypse “did not leave the premises on the scheduled date despite its legal commitment,” says Exo, a public transit organization that operates bus and commuter train lines near Montreal.
“The cleaning of the site having been started by the tenant, a mitigation agreement to allow the continuity of cleaning activities until February 28, 2023 has been filed in the Court file”, specifies Exo. The organization refuses to comment on the case, which is “currently the subject of legal proceedings before the Superior Court of Quebec”.
The Ministry of the Environment and Exo are not the only ones to have trouble with the delinquent company. In recent years, Delson’s administration has also turned to the courts, arguing that Recycle Gypse did not respect municipal regulations that prohibit the outdoor storage of recycled materials. In 2020, the Municipal Court agreed with the City.
Joined by The duty, the main shareholder and sole director of Recycle Gypse, Mathieu Fortier-Mercier, declined to comment on the situation. He referred us to the company’s attorney, Mr.e Karl-Emmanuel Harrison: “From what I understand, the lease extension agreement must be ratified by the Court. […] It is for a short time; it is to continue the work that is in progress. »
“The cleanup of the site is progressing, but not at the speed [qu’Exo voudrait] “, admits M.e Harrison, confirming that the company’s operations in Delson are coming to an end. Recycle Gypse Québec intends to continue its activities on a new site “in the region”, he said, without however specifying the location.
“Now is the time to kick things off”
Recycle Gypse is not a member of the Council of Environmental Technology Companies of Quebec, which notably represents the waste sorting industry. Contacted by The dutythe new director of the association, Kevin Morin, nevertheless recognizes that companies which deviate from the regulatory framework in this way “damage the image of the sector”.
“There have been a lot of efforts made in recent years to improve the regulatory framework in the construction, renovation or demolition waste sector,” he said, indicating that the government should now tighten control of the current regulations.
This should go through an increase in the number of inspectors in the field, and by speeding up procedures when a company is in violation “so that it quickly takes corrective action or that the ministry can force the closure”, maintains- he.
Similar story from Karel Ménard, Director General of the Quebec Common Front for Ecological Waste Management: “Perhaps it’s time to give this industry a boost and tighten up the controls and regulations, because right now it’s sloppy. »
According to Recyc-Québec’s report, the volume of construction, renovation or demolition (CRD) waste increased by 4% between 2018 and 2021. Of the 1,800,000 tonnes sent to its sorting centres, only 261,000 were recycled. In addition, the sorting centers sent 650,000 tonnes of waste to a disposal site, which represents an increase of 32% compared to 2018.
“It’s sad, because in terms of CRD treatment, that’s where the shoe pinches, when that’s perhaps where we should put the most effort. But it is clear that this is not the case,” says Karel Ménard. The solutions go through a change in practices on the ground, according to him: “We could sort out at the source by practicing deconstruction rather than demolition. »