Living next door to industry : cohabitation issues

Client: Stablex

Residential and industrial areas do not always make good neighbours. As the Stablex Company of Blainville, a major centre for the treatment of inorganic waste and contaminated soil, discovered when residents complained about odours.

Stablex responded on a number of fronts: it established good communications with its neighbours to tackle the issue head-on and brought in recognized experts to help get rid of the odours.

The company turned to CRIQ to find the source of the odours. Investissement Québec - CRIQ’s mandate was to identify the chemical components involved and find ways to eliminate them. At the outset, trimethylamine (TMA) was found to be behind the smell. This led to various tests carried out on-site and in the lab.

Investissement Québec - CRIQ’s work at Stablex began in April 2014 and culminated in 2015 with the development of sustainable solutions to control odour emissions. Thanks to these improvements, Stablex and its 150 employees can now carry on with their mission.