Lynwood Drycleaners (Toudai Technologies) Required to Pay $6,000 for Environmental Offences

EDMONTON, Alb. -- November 1, 2010 -- Toudai Technologies Inc., operating as Lynwood Drycleaners, pleaded guilty in Alberta Provincial Court on October 29, 2010, to a charge contrary to section 3 of the Tetrachloroethylene (Use in Dry Cleaning and Reporting Requirements) Regulations pursuant to the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.

Tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene, and referred to as PERC, is a commonly used dry-cleaning solvent and is designated as a toxic substance under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. 

The company was ordered to pay a $500 fine and an additional penalty of $5500 to be paid to the Environmental Damages Fund.

The Environmental Damages Fund is administered by Environment Canada, and was created in 1995 to provide the courts and companies with an option to direct monetary penalties and settlements to investments in the restoration of the environment. It helps ensure polluters take responsibility for their actions and enforces the “polluter pays” principle.

The conviction is a result of an investigation launched by Environment Canada in September 2009 following a routine inspection.

Further information on the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, and the Environmental Damages Fund may be found at http://www.ec.gc.ca/cepaRegistry and http://www.ec.gc.ca/edf-fde.