Castlegar Pulp Mill Reports Brief Emissions Exceedance Following Operational Issues

Castlegar, British Columbia — March 3, 2026 — The Mercer Celgar Pulp Mill reported a short-term emissions exceedance after operational issues occurred during a recent restart of the facility.

According to mill officials, a stock pipe break on Feb. 28 required the plant to temporarily shut down for repairs. During the subsequent restart process on March 1, workers discovered a broken pump seal, which led to another shutdown to address the problem.

Monitoring systems at the mill later recorded an exceedance of total reduced sulphur (TRS) emissions between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. on March 2, briefly exceeding permitted limits. The facility’s safety systems automatically responded, and operations returned to normal later that day.

Residents in nearby communities reported a “rotten egg”-like odour during the opening of the BC Winter Games and again early Monday, prompting concerns about air quality in the Trail river valley.

Officials noted that the mill could not confirm whether the odour reported earlier during the Games was linked to the facility. Local authorities and regional monitoring agencies reported that air quality readings, including sulphur dioxide and metal levels, remained within normal ranges during the time of the complaints.