Although there has not been a conclusive link, the City of Richmond has closed its composting facilities after a worker fell ill with Legionnaire’s disease late last year.
City spokesman Ted Townsend told the Newsthe worker was hospitalized and WorkSafeBC undertook an assessment of the site and concluded the illness was work-related.
“That’s their judgement at this point. There’s no conclusive evidence that’s where the infection happened,” Townsend. “That said, we’re very concerned. So, for the due diligence for our workers, we have suspended any operations that deal with composted materials at that (Sidaway Road) site, and at the works yard (Lynas Lane).”
In addition, air and soil tests are being done to determine the overall risk factors at the sites.
“Depending on that we will determine appropriate measures for ongoing work at the sites for composting materials,” Townsend said.
WorkSafeBC did not respond to the News’inquiry by press time.
Legionnaires’ disease is a form of pneumonia caused by a species of aerobic bacteria.
It acquired its name in July 1976, when an outbreak of pneumonia occurred among people attending a convention of the American Legion at the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel in Philadelphia. In that incident, 29 of the reported 182 cases resulted in death.
Townsend could not comment on the worker’s current condition, but confirmed he was still off work.
“This particular employee was doing some work at our soils facility on Sidaway Road where we take soils that we collect from excavations, landscaping work, some organic material and end up producing top soil for various projects,” Townsend said. “This is certainly an isolated case. We’re not concerned about an outbreak or anything like that.”
Townsend added there is also no concern about the finished top soil products the facility has produced.
The city has appealed WokSafeBC’s assessment.
“First of all we don’t believe necessarily the infection happened there, and secondly, through the appeal process more research and study can be done,” Townsend said.
“This organism appears in nature, in potting soils. This is not an uncommon thing. It’s rare that these infections happen. But we’ve been operating that facility for decades without any issue.”
