Some Regina businesses are calling for solutions to the dust exposure coming from the city’s concrete crushing plant.
Jason MacPherson, owner of the Complete Wheel Shop on Wellings Road, says the dust gets so bad at times that some of the store’s staff physically can’t work and often have to go home early, not wanting to return until air is breathable.
“There’s days where your eyes are burning and your nose is burning and you feel it on your skin,” MacPherson said.
“It’s affecting the staff, it’s affecting the product we put out, we’re painting wheels and getting dust in that, it’s an ongoing problem.”
MacPherson purchased and opened the shop about 10 years ago. At the time, he says he didn’t know this would be a problem. But now, the dust has proven to be a constant issue affecting their work, even forcing him to consider selling the shop last year.
He says even on better days, dust residue is apparent throughout the shop.
MacPherson’s problem is shared with his neighbouring businesses. Harpreet Shergill owns Midwest Diesel Repair and Parts in the building next door to the Complete Wheel Shop. Shergill says the dust also makes working difficult, especially for their work as a trucking company, which mostly includes working outdoors.
“When the southeast winds blow, especially in the summer, we get all the dust coming into our shop and it’s so hard to work outside in our trucks because we change tires outside and repairs,” Shergill said.
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“It’s hard to work with all the dust coming and all the vehicles covered in dust all the time…sometimes we have to leave broken trucks outside and by the time we get to them they’re filled with dust.”
Shergill says things do get frustrating, as a lot more effort and money has to be put into cleaning parts. That frustration is echoed by MacPherson.
“I’m vibrating, you come to work and you can’t get anything done and you’re burning, you can feel your face burning, your hands burning…it’s just brutal,” MacPherson said.
MacPherson says he has contacted the city several times over the last few years, but the solutions offered to him have not been very helpful.
“They seem to want to work with me…what they’re doing…it’s helping, but not stopping the problem,” he said.
“Adding water to the conveyer made a huge difference, but even though you can’t see the clouds that have been happening, it’s still dust wafting over. You can’t stop it, once you get a pile that big and it dries out it’s going to be stirred up and blown over.”
The city told him they would look into what’s wrong, add more water if more is needed and possibly even move the plant, but MacPherson says he was not given a timeline and the dust continues to persist.
Global News reached out to the City of Regina for comment. They declined to interview, but released a statement regarding the concerns.
“The City has requirements to mitigate the effect dust has on the surrounding area. Water is applied whenever possible as crushing takes place, which is the most effective way to reduce the amount of dust. This year, we have added new requirements for dust suppression onsite, on temporary roads, ramps, and pads,” the city said in an emailed statement to Global News.
“The City recognizes that businesses immediately to the north of the crushing facility may experience dusty conditions. Out of respect for these businesses, crushing may be suspended when strong winds are blowing directly from south to north.”
MacPherson has felt at odds in this situation with the city’s concrete crushing plant. Ideally, he would like to see the plant finally move elsewhere, rather than have to move himself.
“If I have to move, I’m closing,” MacPherson said. “I’ve moved enough times, it’s not fun.”
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