AN unlicensed waste processing facility in the Delta has been ordered to pay a fine after a successful prosecution by Metro Vancouver.

The BC Provincial Court has ordered Basran Industries Ltd. and Basran Fuels Ltd. to jointly pay fines totalling $110,000 after they pleaded guilty to two offences relating to the unlicensed solid waste facility.

During inspections between October 2019 and October 2023, Metro Vancouver officers observed them receiving and managing municipal solid waste. Metro Vancouver communicated with Basran facility multiple times and informed them they needed a licence to continue operating, before finally resorting to prosecution under the Municipal Solid Waste and Recyclable Material Regulatory Bylaw.

Metro Vancouver is responsible for regulating air emissions and sewer discharges from industrial, commercial, and institutional sources in the region, as well as the operation of private solid waste facilities. There are currently 39 licensed private waste processing facilities in the region providing services that help meet regional waste reduction and recycling goals.

Officers regularly inspect, investigate, and carry out enforcement actions to ensure private facilities in the region are following laws designed to protect the public and the environment.

Metro Vancouver say that bylaw compliance is necessary to achieve the waste diversion, recycling, and resource recovery goals identified in Metro Vancouver’s solid waste management plan. Bylaw enforcement and licence requirements protect communities and ensure a level playing field for environmentally responsible businesses.