N.B. shellfish company shuttered over improper storage of shell waste: environment minister
A company at the centre of a community fight over what residents in the town of Beaurivage, N.B. say is a powerful stench has been ordered to cease operations.
The province notified Coastal Shells Wednesday evening they were not meeting one of it’s conditions of approval to operate.
“An inspector from the department confirmed odours were being generated by the improper storage of shell waste on the company’s property,” Environment and Local Government Minister Gary Crossman said in a written statement Thursday.
The order for Coastal Shells to stop operations came into effect at 8 a.m. Thursday.
According the statement, the province says the company won’t be allowed to re-open until it has a plan to bring it back into compliance.
That plan must be approved by the Department of Environment and Local Government.
Coastal Shells has a shell drying facility that takes waste from the fishing industry and processes it into fertilizer, animal feed and other products.
According to its website, the company's building is a "state of the art" shell drying facility.
Located in what was Richibucto before amalgamation, residents said their concerns range from not being able to enjoy spending time in their yard, to students complaining about the air quality at École Soleil Levant, which is located next door.
A senior's complex and an arena are also located nearby.
In an earlier interview, Maisie Rae McNaughton told CTV News the smell coming from the plant was horrendous.
McNaughton is a member of the Kent Clean Air Action Committee (KCAAC) and the administrator of a ‘Stop the Stink’ Facebook page that has more than 800 members.
"I am a fisherwoman and I have smelled many dried lobster shells, rotten lobster shells and it's unlike anything I have smelled," she said back in May.
McNaughton said Thursday’s news is positive, but she’s hoping for more.
“I understand that this is only temporary, it’s not a permanent solution to what has been a problem since 2016,” said McNaughton. “Our community has been hit hard by the continued operation of Coastal Shells so what I would like is for them to move to a better location or close completely. This has gone on for too long. It’s ludicrous that my community is suffering in this way.”
CTV News attempted to reach Coastal Shells Products for comment Thursday, but have yet to hear back.
For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

India tells Canada to withdraw 41 diplomats, report says
India has told Canada that it must repatriate 41 diplomats by Oct. 10, the Financial Times reported. Ties between India and Canada have become strained over Canadian suspicion that Indian government agents had a role in the June murder in Canada of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
Homeowners brace for mortgage payment shock amid higher-for-longer rate outlook
From ultra-low interest rates that led to a huge spike in real estate demand to the speed with which interest rates shot up to levels not seen in a generation, it's been hard to keep up with the shifting landscape for mortgage holders.
Diwali fireworks advisory issued despite warnings it might be discriminatory: emails
An Environment Canada advisory that singled out Diwali fireworks as a reason to prepare for poor air quality last October was issued despite multiple warnings from some staff about it being discriminatory.
Trump seethes through the start of trial in New York lawsuit accusing him of lying about his wealth
Aggrieved and defiant, former U.S. president Donald Trump sat through hours of sometimes testy opening statements Monday in a fraud lawsuit that could cost him control of Trump Tower and other prized properties.
New study shows where you fall on new internet addiction spectrum
Researchers have come up with categories for people who are addicted to the internet and for those who are at risk.
Adolescent ER visits in Ontario for eating disorders saw big jump during pandemic: study
The biggest jump in Ontario emergency room visits and hospitalizations for eating disorders during the first 30 months of the pandemic was seen in adolescents aged 10 to 17, according to a new study.
India police search journalists' homes and offices in the country's latest raids on media
Indian police raided the offices of a news website that's under investigation for allegedly receiving funds from China, as well as the homes of several of its journalists, in what critics described as an attack on one of India's few remaining independent news outlets.
Blue Jays on the road for best-of-three wild-card series with Twins
The Toronto Blue Jays kick off their American League wild-card playoff series with the Minnesota Twins today at Target Field in Minneapolis.
McDonald's, Wendy's defeat lawsuit over size of burgers
McDonald's and Wendy's have defeated a lawsuit accusing them of deceiving hungry diners by exaggerating the size of their burgers.