AIM Forced To Cease Operations After Explosion: Province

American Iron & Metal in Saint John has been forced to shut down operations temporarily after yet another explosion on Monday.

The Department of Environment says the facility was forced to cease operations as the explosion “exceeded their approval limits.”

Minister Gary Crossman said he is “very concerned” about the repeated explosions at the recycling facility on the west side of Port Saint John.

“The Department of Environment and Climate Change is closely monitoring compliance with the Approval to Operate,” said Crossman in an emailed statement early Monday evening. “…we had an inspector on-site today and will again tomorrow.”

Crossman said he and his cabinet colleagues have had a number of conversations with Mayor Don Darling and Port Saint John regarding the operation.

“If the department identifies that standards within the approval to operate are not being followed, I can and will exercise the appropriate authoritative measures,” he said.

The incident comes just five days after the facility was rocked by what officials described as a “small” explosion on Nov. 25.

Platoon Chief Brian Wilson with the Saint John Fire Department said the incident was reported to them, but it was not a “recordable incident” as the decibel level of the explosion fell below the set parameters.

As part of the facility’s approval to operate, AIM must shut down operations if an explosion exceeds a sound level of 104 decibels.

It cannot resume operations until all issues are resolved to the satisfaction of officials with the Department of Environment and the Saint John Fire Department.