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WorkSafe BC to investigate explosion at Princeton facility

Explosion at Envirogreen waste reclamation plant occurred Nov. 27
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An explosion occurred at the Envirogreen waste reclamation plant near Princeton. (Envirogreen photo)

WorkSafe BC is investigating an accident which occurred at a soil reclamation operation near Princeton near the end of November.

The explosion occurred at Envirogreen Technologies on Nov. 27 around 8:30 p.m.

WorkSafe BC representatives attended the site the following day and confirmed there were no injuries.

However, a full investigation has not yet been completed.

READ ALSO: Explosion at Princeton reclamation plant

READ ALSO: Envirogreen to assess what led to Princeton explosion

“The next step is for the employer to conduct an investigation of the incident,” a statement from WorkSafe BC reads. “A full investigation report must be submitted to WorkSafeBC within 30 days. The purpose of the investigation report is to identify the cause of the incident, including contributing factors, so that similar incidents can be prevented from happening in the future.”

Vijay Lanji, president of Envirogreen Technologies, said the company has also started an investigation to ensure everything at the site is safe before resuming operations.

Because of the explosion, the plant’s annual shutdown, from December to March, began earlier than usual.

The facility is 18 kilometres south of Princeton on Highway 3.

It uses a thermal desorption process to purify hydro-carbon-contaminated soil, which is then sterilized and used for mine reclamation.

The plant has been operating since 1995 and the explosion is the first incident of this nature at the facility.

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John Arendt

About the Author: John Arendt

John Arendt has worked as a journalist for more than 30 years. He has a Bachelor of Applied Arts in Journalism degree from Ryerson Polytechnical Institute.
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