Prairie Distributors (B.C.) Inc. - conviction information for 2015-04-17
| Corporation name: | Prairie Distributors (B.C.) Inc. |
|---|---|
| Address: | 160-6651 Elmbridge Way |
| City: | Richmond |
| Province/territory: | British Columbia |
| Postal code: | V7C 5C2 |
| Country: | Canada |
| Sector or industry: | 418 - Miscellaneous merchant wholesalers |
| Location of offense: | 160-6651 Elmbridge Way, Richmond, British Columbia |
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| Case summary: |
Prairie Distributors (B.C.) Inc. (PDI) provides service and products for use in the dry-cleaning industry, including dry-cleaning and laundry supplies, chemicals and machinery. The company is based in Richmond, British Columbia, and conducts most of its business in the Lower Mainland. Environment Canada conducted 48 inspections of dry-cleaning facilities in BC between June 18, 2012 and August 28,2012. Of the 48 facilities, 11 of them had at least one container of tetrachloroethylene (PERC), waste water or residue without adequate secondary containment, and it was found that PDI had sold PERC to each of these facilities. Upon further investigation, it was determined that PDI sold PERC to nine dry cleaners that did not have an adequate secondary containment system for at least one container of waste water or residue. |
| Charges: |
10 counts, all under section 5(f)(i).
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| Enforcement notification: |
| Result: | Guilty Plea |
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| Date of conviction: | 2015-04-17 |
| Court level: | Provincial and Territorial Court |
| Nature of offense(s): |
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| Additional details about the nature of the offense: | Selling tetrachloroethylene to an owner or operator of a dry-cleaning machine that does not have 110% secondary containment of the largest tank or container containing tetrachloroethylene, waste water or residue. |
| Act | Regulations | Section(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) | Tetrachloroethylene (Use in Dry Cleaning and Reporting Requirements) Regulations | s.5(f)(i) |
| Date of sentencing: |
2015-05-04 |
|---|---|
| Location of sentencing: | Richmond, British Columbia |
| Sentence(s): |
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| Amount of fine(s): | $62,500 |
| Sentencing details: |
On April 17, 2015, before the Provincial Court of Richmond, British Columbia, the corporation Prairie Distributors (B.C.) Inc. has pleaded guilty to counts 1, 2, 5 and 6; and on May 4, 2015, was sentenced to pay a fine of $62,500 to the Receiver General of Canada. The mitigating factors that the Court considered to establish the sentence were: · An early guilty plea was entered. · This was the first enforcement action against Prairie Distributors (B.C.) Inc. · The company will no longer be engaged in selling tetrachloroethylene. The aggravating factors that the Court considered to establish the sentence were: · The risk of damage to the environment, as well as the toxicity of tetrachloroethylene (PERC). · The offender committed the offence recklessly. · Failure to take reasonable steps to prevent the commission of the offence, despite having the financial means to do so. · The offender had a history of non-compliance. |