Cargill, the Wayzata, Minn.-based food multi-national, has reached an administrative civil settlement with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at its Vitamin E manufacturing facility in Eddyville, Iowa, according to The Environmental Leader.
Cargill’s Eddyville facility uses the hazardous air pollutants methanol, methyl tertiary butyl ether, and formaldehyde to produce Vitamin E and similar compounds from soybean byproducts.
Under the terms of the settlement, Cargill will pay a $110,000 civil penalty to the U.S., and will perform an Enhanced Leak Detection and Repair project at the Eddyville facility for a period of one year. Cargill’s program will be subject to third-party auditing.
Additionally, Cargill has agreed to spend at least $155,000 on a supplemental environmental project to incorporate sealless pump technology at its facility. Through this project, Cargill will replace certain mechanical seal pumps that have the potential to leak hazardous air pollutants and/or volatile organic compounds, such as ethanol. The project will be completed within a year.
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2015/09/14/cargill-agrees-to-settle-clean-air-act-violations/
Editors Insight: This news serves as a reminder that the EPA continues to enforce environmental protection rules concerning air pollution, wastewater discharges and chlorofluorocarbons from refrigeration systems.
Earlier this year, food formulator Gly-Tek settled with the EPA over the release of sulfuric acid at its facility. The EPA acted against the company because it took nearly two hours to report the spill to the Local Emergency Response Committee.
Late last year, Davisco Foods International settled with the agency for poor record keeping in violation of the EPA’s risk management planning requirements.
These are just a few of many recent EPA actions.
Environmental stewardship is a big part of sustainability in the food supply chain. Companies have to be as proactive in this area as they are in food safety and employee safety. 9-14-15 By Elliot Maras
