The chief caquiste, François Legault, on Wednesday minimized the health risks linked to arsenic emissions by the Horne foundry in Rouyn-Noranda.
Before hitting the road to Abitibi-Témiscamingue, Mr. Legault reacted to criticism from doctors who accused him of having said Sunday to Everybody talks about it that the situation was safe.
“It depends on the definition of security,” he said in a radio interview with 98.5 FM. I invite everyone in Rouyn-Noranda to read the Public Health report. It’s not as dramatic as some say. »
During a press briefing, following a speech he gave to the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, Mr. Legault did not repeat that the situation was safe.
“I’m not a doctor, there is a public health report available,” he said.
Mr. Legault said he would like to reduce arsenic releases to 3 ng/m³, the Quebec standard.
“They say it’s not technically possible,” he said.
The CAQ government wants to limit the concentration in the air of arsenic emitted by the Horne smelter to 15 ng/m³ within 5 years, while the provincial standard is 3 ng/m³. The company had previously obtained permission to emit a maximum of 100 ng/m³.
In July, a report by the National Institute of Public Health of Quebec (INSPQ) concluded that, over a period of 70 years, between one and fourteen more residents of Rouyn-Noranda would develop cancer if the Glencore company does not reduce arsenic discharges from the Horne smelter.
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