ST. MARY'S, Newfoundland and Labrador – The townspeople of St. Mary's are breathing easier as a cleanup operation has commenced to remove a lingering odor of rotten fish sauce that has plagued the community for years. The source of the stench is approximately 110 tanks, each holding 3,000 gallons of fermented fish sauce, left behind when the Atlantic Seafood Sauce Company was abandoned more than two decades ago.
The dilapidated plant, located in the picturesque town of about 300 residents, suffered further damage over time, with broken windows, a damaged roof, and a wall knocked out by a storm. Meanwhile, the fish sauce continued to ferment, releasing its pungent odor, particularly when the wind blew toward the town.
Steve Ryan, the volunteer mayor of St. Mary's, described the smell as "the worst rotted fish you ever smelled in your lifetime, times 100." He expressed relief that the cleanup is finally underway, marking the end of a lengthy campaign to secure provincial government funding for the operation. Ryan noted that the federal government did not contribute to the cleanup costs, a fact he found disheartening given the town's long-standing efforts to address the issue.
The cleanup process involves draining the tanks and mixing the liquid with peat moss to absorb it. Workers will then use trucks equipped with large hoses to transport the material to a specially constructed pit lined with high-density polyethylene, similar to landfill liners. The pit will eventually be covered with topsoil.
Glenn Sharp, owner of Sharp Management, the company overseeing the cleanup, acknowledged the unique nature of the task, stating that the waste does not fit standard classifications. The project is estimated to cost 1.7 million Canadian dollars ($1.21 million). St. Mary's contributed a loan of 198,000 Canadian dollars ($140,973), which the town expects to be reimbursed for at a later date.
Mayor Ryan hopes the successful removal of the fermented fish sauce will help fade the memory of the odor and the feeling of being overlooked. "We're such a small town and we were left on our own," he said, "For so many years nobody had our backs." He added that the town's persistence was key to achieving their goal.