Brantford cat litter manufacturer fined nearly $100K

A file photo of a workplace. (CTV)

A manufacturer in Brantford is on the hook for nearly $100,000 after spilling around 200 litres of Clean Burst, a scented product used in its cat litter, violating the Environmental Protection Act.

On Wednesday, the province said Normerica had been convicted and fined $75,000, plus a victim fine surcharge of $18,750.

The conviction comes nearly four years after the offense, which the province said in a news release occurred on or about Aug. 10, 2019.

The province said, as part of the manufacturing process, Normerica adds a scent product called Clean Burst to a portion of its cat litter.

“On August 14, 2019, a member of the community reported an odour to the ministry. The odour was described as bearing a “cleaning product scent” that caused irritation of the eyes and throat while in the plant’s vicinity,” the province said.

On Aug. 15, the ministry contacted Normerica’s plant manager to advise of the odour complaint and the manager informed the ministry the plant “did not run anything scent-wise” the day prior.

According to the province, Normerica reported that the plant manager investigated and concluded that the odour was unlikely to have been caused by plant operations.

“On September 11, 2019, a neighbouring business reported a foamy substance with a soap-like odour emerging from a sewer drain on their property,” the province said.

That same day, an inspector from the City of Brantford met with Normerica’s plant manager, who advised that there had been a spill of Clean Burst at the plant on August 10, 2019.

“Laboratory analysis of three samples obtained by the ministry on September 11, 2019, from the storm sewer outfall and the catch basin on plant property confirmed the presence of components of Clean Burst in all three samples,” the province said.

The company was given one year to pay the fine.