Northvolt's Swedish 'gigafactory' is its template for Quebec. Do regulations here need an update?

Concerns are again being raised over the environmental impact of Quebec's Northvolt plant being constructed near the Richelieu River following a report on the company's "gigafactory" in Sweden.

This comes as Swedish media have reported on recent workplace incidents at that factory and as the company faces production delays.

An environmental and social impact assessment published in 2020 by the battery manufacturer shows its plant in Skellefteäl, Sweden, releases nickel, cobalt, lithium and ammonia into the air and a nearby river.

The emissions are within the threshold accepted by the European Union, but Quebec's regulations don't provide a specific cap on the presence of those chemicals in drinking water. The forthcoming Northvolt Six plant's potential effect on air, water and wildlife is already being questioned after an approval that critics say was rushed.

Northvolt has said the 170-hectare plant between the municipalities of Saint-Basile-le-Grand and McMasterville, about 30 kilometres southeast of Montreal, would be a copy of the one in northern Sweden. With investments from the federal and provincial level, the plant would be a key part of electric vehicle production in North America.

And while Quebec's Environment Ministry said regulatory norms will be established, Opposition parties in the province are urging the government to adopt strict measures immediately.

McMasterville residents have said repeatedly that they are concerned about possible toxic discharges into the river affecting the fauna and flora and the quality of the drinking water. They also fear atmospheric emissions of pollutants from the battery recycling process, which could lead to short- and long-term health risks.

The Richelieu River provides drinking water for about 300,000 households in Quebec's Montérégie region and is home to the copper redhorse, a protected fish species.

In the spring, a document published by Quebec's Environment Ministry showed Northvolt anticipates various environmental impacts to the area, including changes to air quality and degradation of surface water quality. There is also mention of possible impacts on fish populations.

The document says "mitigation measures will be put in place to reduce or minimize any unavoidable impact on the environment." It also says a water filtration system will be put in place.

Lithium has psychoactive properties and is often prescribed in low doses to patients with mental health conditions. 

"Our trust in the project is not blind. We expect the Environment Ministry to enforce the law and there's a whole process to deliver operational permits to make sure it's all legal," said McMasterville Mayor Martin Dulac on Radio-Canada's Tout un matin Wednesday morning. 

Northvolt spokesperson Laurent Therrien insists Quebec regulations do "make sure that the concentration and loads of contaminants can be discharged into this environment without compromising its quality."

Therrien added Northvolt has its own pollution standards and that it makes its studies public.