The mayor of St. Mary’s is accusing both the provincial and federal governments of abandoning them as the town grapples with a toxic mess left by an old, defunct fish sauce plant.

Effluent is running from the building, causing a stink that Mayor Steve Ryan believes is a health hazard.

The plant has not operated in about 20 years, but in 2016 a man came forward indicting he was interested in some of the tanks still on site. Ryan says the plant held 150 tanks, containing 12,500 litres each.

Ryan says much to their dismay, the individual then started draining the tanks straight into the water.

He says government officials did not monitor the plan given to them by the proponent. When the town complained, the solution implemented by government was to block the outflow pipe with cement.

As the result of a CBC Investigates report, Ryan says last week he received the results of a report showing the toxicity of the effluent, which can kill any fish it comes into contact with within 15 minutes, but it appears as though officials sat on the results for years. He says the town, which only has 309 residents, can’t get any further satisfaction from either level of government.

Ryan told VOCM Open Line with Paddy Daly he’s frustrated with the apparent lack of concern over a major environmental and public health problem that’s been brewing for close to two decades. He says not even their MP knew the results of the report.

He says the town took it upon themselves to do further testing while trying to assess the cost of a clean up, when the presence of an H2S gas was found inside the building. It’s “a very, very deadly gas,” says Ryan, “it’s explosive.”

Ryan is worried that frustrations will boil over and someone will set the building on fire. If that happens says Ryan, they’ll be setting fire to a bomb.

He says 110 tanks remain inside the building and he’s fearful of what will happen next.

He’s calling on Minister Bernard Davis to impress on his federal counterparts to take action.