There’s growing concern amongst residents in Kelowna, B.C.’s Ellison neighbourhood regarding a nearby fruit packing plant, and its application to discharge a lot of wastewater into a local ditch.
One resident has launched a petition against Sandher Fruit Packers, and she’s urging local grocery stores to boycott them as well.
Inspectors with the Ministry of Environment recently visited the plant and found effluent from the company’s fruit washing and packing operation had been discharged into the environment.
A financial decision is pending, but, in the meantime, the company applied to legally dump its wastewater — a weekly amount that would fill an equivalent of 2,800 wheelbarrows.
And in January, residents began complaining about a stench in the area.
“A lot of people who drive by there every day are talking about it,” said Alexandra Wright, who owns Sweet Cherry Stables on Old Vernon Road, located downhill from Sandhers Fruit Packers.
“Some people say they can smell it from their house, so that’s not fair, obviously.”
However, the smell isn’t the only thing residents here are upset about.
“We have very high-priced horses and we’re a little concerned about the damage they’re doing to the water table and possibly what the horses are ingesting,” said John Wright.
“We had to switch the filters on our house. I think we’re going to have to do the same for all of our animals’ stock water.”
In 2022, the Ministry of Environment handed down a $32,000 fine against Sandher Fruit Packers for violating waste discharge regulations.
According to the ministry, the dates of contravention spanned from Aug. 17, 2019, to April 12, 2022.
Now, the company has applied for an application that would allow it to discharge wastewater into the environment.
Alexandra Wright has launched a petition against Sandher and she and her husband John are hosting a meeting on Tuesday night.
She’s hoping this will put pressure on local governments to step in, as well as get local grocery stores to stop selling the company’s products.
“Costco specifically is advertising Sandher as a sustainable fruit producer. I have a problem with that because if you’re a sustainable fruit producer, you’re not flooding your downhill neighbours that are trying to compete in this industry,” said Wright.
In a statement to Global News, the Ministry of Environment says, “protecting the health and well-being of our communities and the environment is our top priority. A referral for an administrative penalty is in process for this facility. At this time no final decision has been made on the penalty.”
John Wright says more needs to be done than just handing out a fine, as he fears it will continue to dump wastewater without approval from the ministry.
“There are other plants that are in compliance and that plant needs to be shut down until it is in compliance.”