Seven Richibucto, N.B., residents are suing Coastal Shell Products and its owners over loss of enjoyment of their property.
Plaintiff JoAnne Robichaud pointed to the smell of rotting, burning shells along with the noise the facility produces each night between 8 p.m. and 8 a.m.
“It’s making us feel like prisoners in our own home,” she told Global News in an interview on Thursday.
She described the sound as being “like a jet engine”.
“I want the company to shut their doors and if going at them financially, when we win, forces them to shut their doors then that will be a big plus,” she said.
She and six other plaintiffs are being represented by The Mike Murphy Law Group.
Mike Murphy declined to comment, but told Global News in an emailed statement that the discovery portion of the legal proceedings “is being scheduled very shortly for the near future.”
Robichaud lives in a house with her 94-year-old mother on Richibucto’s Main street.
She said her mother can no longer use the house’s covered porch to get fresh air and watch the birds because of the smell.
“She’s not great at the moment and in the last years of her life, this is not what we want for any of our seniors, any of our family members to have to experience,” she said.
Fellow plaintiff Claudette Robichaud said she rarely sits outside her waterfront property because of the smell and the noise produced.
She said on some days, the smell from the plant’s operations at night linger throughout the day.
“Some days we’re not able to go outside at all. Not opening any windows, taking a deep breath before you leave the house just to get into the car and get away,” she said.
She said she and her husband often need to stay at her sister’s cottage in order to get a break.
A life-long Richibucto resident, Robichaud looked into making the “heartbreaking” decision to sell her house and leave in 2021.
She said a realtor told her the house would take a long time to sell and would likely sell for less than it’s value because it was located roughly 400 metres from the Coastal Shell facility.
She said it’s currently valued at $400,000 and the realtor told her it would likely only sell for roughly half of that.
She decided to stay in the community where she grew up.
“I can’t allow an industry to dictate my life. I want to stay, and I will stay.”
Residents had a two-day reprieve from the smell and noise last Thursday and Friday, after the provincial government ordered Coastal Shell to shut down operations after an inspector found they had improperly stored shells.
Maisie Rae MacNaughton of the Kent Clean Air Action Committee (KCAAC) said while it was disappointing the closure wasn’t permanent, she was encouraged by it.
“It has proven that Department of Environment (and local government) can order a cease of operations if there is an infraction,” MacNaughton said.
She said KCAAC argues the facility is in constant violation of the province’s Clean Air Act.
While KCAAC is not involved in the lawsuit, MacNaughton said the organization was happy about it.
“I am hopeful that the lawsuits will continue to pressure Coastal Shell Products to do the right thing. It’s obvious from all of the avenues that we have taken we’re putting pressure on all sides. So I’m hopeful that something soon is going to give,” she said.
Global News reached out to Coastal Shell Products on Thursday, and did not hear back in time for deadline.
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