5 explorers in the former incinerator des Carrières in Montreal
The former incinerator des Carrières in Montreal

The former incinerator des Carrières in Montreal

The former incinerator des Carrières in Montreal

A pollution plant in the middle of the city

Montréal (Quebec), Canada

Abandoned since December 1993, the former incinerator des Carrières, known as the incinerator # 3 is now partly used as a warehouse by the City of Montreal. It is also one of the few places where there have power in a portion of the building.

Closed as a result of too high concentrations of dioxins and furans, the history of the incinerator des Carrières begins in 1929 when the city start to build an incinerator near the current building. With its incineration capacity of 300 tons per day, he allowed the city to close the small domestic incinerators, obsolete and dangerous dumps, which took more space and which came from terrible odors.

Despite all this and, not surprisingly, the site is responsible for the deterioration of the air quality in the area. It was therefore decided to build right next to the old incinerator a brand new incinerator: the # 3. Presented in 70s as the most modern incinerator in Canada and even in the United States, the facilities were equipped with systems for heat recovery and pollution control measures. Over the years, it was discovered that, despite its many innovations, the incinerator proved extremely damaging to the health of people living around. Following this, the site was definitively closed in late 1993.

In 2010, an evaluation to demolish the facilities and clean up the soil was estimated at $ 15 million, which resulted in a status quo of the city, refusing to pay such an amount for its demolition.

Despite its closure over twenty years ago, we must admit that the site is still in good shape. Or course, there is three feet of water in the basement, ice here and there and vandalism that has been done over the years, but nevertheless its structure is still ok.

Related content

The pit - Photo: Jarold Dumouchel
Montréal, Quebec (Canada)

Built in 1954, the Dickson incinerator was, at the time, the most modern one in North America. It was built to replace these old incinerators where horses were used for harvesting waste.

In the 1920s, the city of Montreal was struggling...

Of a single block
Montréal, Quebec (Canada)

Located in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve neighborhood, the silo # 3 was built in 1923. The architect was John S. Metcalfe who were responsible for the construction of most silos in the Port of Montreal (1, 2, 3, 5). It is thanks to its innovations...

The curse of the Dow brewery
Montréal, Quebec (Canada)

Although this building was built around 1861, the history of the Dow brewery began nearly 60 years earlier, in 1790, when a farmer named Thomas Dunn started in the beer industry in La Prairie, who was an important stopover for travelers who went...

Cayadutta Tanning
Gloversville, New York (United States)

Located in Gloversville near Albany NY, this abandoned factory is ready to crumble. Before 1870, Gloversville was a small village called Stump City. When it became an incorporated village in 1853, the name was changed to Gloversville due to the...