title: Assessment of public perception and environmental compliance at a pulp and paper facility: a Canadian case study.
abstract: Communities across Canada rely heavily on natural resources for their livelihoods. One such community in Pictou County, Nova Scotia, has both benefited and suffered, because of its proximity to a pulp and paper mill (currently owned by Northern Pulp). Since production began in 1967, there have been increasing impacts to the local environment and human health. Environmental reports funded by the mill were reviewed and compared against provincial and federal regulatory compliance standards. Reports contrasted starkly to societal perceptions of local impacts and independent studies. Most environmental monitoring reports funded by the mill indicate some levels of compliance in atmospheric and effluent emissions, but when compliance targets were not met, there was a lack of regulatory enforcement. After decades of local pollution impacts and lack of environmental compliance, corporate social responsibility initiatives need implementing for the mill to maintain its social licence to operate.
authors.affiliation: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.affiliation: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors.forename: Meagan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bernier
authors.affiliation: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors.forename: Brenden
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Blotnicky
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Engineering, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Golden
authors.affiliation: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors.forename: Jeffrey
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Janes
authors.affiliation: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors.forename: Allison
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kader
authors.affiliation: Department of International Development Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kovacs-Da Costa
authors.affiliation: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors.forename: Shauna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pettipas
authors.affiliation: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vermeulen
authors.affiliation: School for Resource and Environmental Studies, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, B3H 4R2, Canada. tonyrobertwalker@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tony R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000379:methods*; D005381:Financing, Organized; D033161:Government Regulation; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000032:analysis* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D066192:Manufacturing Industry / Q000191:economics / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000592:standards*; D009674:Nova Scotia; D010209:Paper; D014873:Water Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000393:Air Pollutants; D007220:Industrial Waste; D014873:Water Pollutants
keywords: Atmospheric emissions; Community concerns; Effluents; Pulp and paper; Regulatory compliance