News Release

FREDERICTON (GNB) – The provincial government will issue a new Class 1 air quality approval for the AV Cell Inc. Altholville Pulp Mill.

The company’s current approval expires on Dec. 31 with the new approval taking effect on Jan. 1, 2020. The approval follows a public consultation that ran between June 27 and Nov. 1.

In January 1998, AV Cell, a joint venture of Quebec-based forest products company Tembec and Indian textile manufacturer Aditya Birla Group, purchased the mill. AV Cell registered a project under the department’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Regulation for the conversion of the mill from market sulfite pulp to dissolving grade pulp. Market sulfite pulp production resumed in May 1998 and by August 1998 the mill had satisfied the EIA requirements and had converted its operation to produce dissolving grade pulp.

In December 2003, AV Cell registered a project under the EIA Regulation seeking approval to increase the nominal average daily production capacity of the pulp mill from 300 air-dry tonnes per day to 360 air-dry tonnes per day.

Class 1 industrial facilities are required to comply with the Air Quality Regulation under the Clean Air Act and to operate under the terms and conditions established in the approval to operate.

Additional information, along with the approval conditions, is available on the Department of Environment and Local Government website or at any department regional office.