Steve Ryan oversees the cleanup of 900,000 liters of spoiled fish sauce in St. Mary's
The town of St. Mary's in Newfoundland and Labrador is beginning a major cleanup of 900,000 liters of spoiled fish sauce that has emitted a foul odor for over two decades. The project, which began this week, involves removing the fish sauce from 110 vats left behind at an abandoned factory after the Atlantic Seafood Sauce Company closed in 2001. Steve Ryan, the volunteer mayor of St. Mary's, described the persistent smell as the worst rotten fish odor of a lifetime multiplied by 100. The provincial government has budgeted approximately $2 million for the project, though the town contributed a loan of $198,000. Workers are currently cutting open the vats to drain the viscous brown sludge, which will be mixed with peat moss to solidify the waste. The material will then be transported in approximately 200 truckloads to a landfill lined with polyethylene. The cleanup is expected to be completed by October. Ryan expressed relief that the town is finally moving past the era of being known as the 'sauce plant mayor' and the 'sauce plant' community.