MONETT, Missouri – The federal government on Wednesday announced the final decision on a settlement regarding Clean Water Act violations for a significant fish mortality at the Tyson plant in Monett, MO in 2014.
Tyson was ordered by federal court in Springfield to pay a criminal fine of $ 2 million, serve two years of probation, and pay $ 500,000 to directly repair the damage caused by the death of the fish.
The company admitted its guilt in federal court in September 2017. An estimated 108,000 fish died in Clear Creek in May 2014, after a liquid dietary supplement from the Tyson plant in Monett, Missouri, entered the industry. water treatment plant in the town of Monett, then in Clear Ruisseau.
According to the US District Attorney for the Western Missouri District, “… the spill occurred at Tyson’s feed plant in Aurora, Missouri, where he mixed ingredients to produce chicken feed. One of the ingredients was a liquid food supplement called “Alimet”, which is a very strong acid with a pH of less than one. In May 2014, the tank used to store Alimet at the Aurora Power Plant leaked. Tyson had the spilled substance transported to its plant in Monett where the Alimet was then dumped into the sewers and discharged into the municipal wastewater treatment plant in the town of Monett. “
The US attorney’s office said Tyson has also agreed to retain the services of an independent third-party auditor to review environmental compliance at Tyson Poultry facilities across the country; organize specialized environmental training in all its poultry processing plants, hatcheries, feed mills, rendering plants and wastewater treatment plants; and implement improved policies and procedures to address the circumstances that gave rise to these violations.
Tyson made the following statement following the court hearing:
As we noted last fall, we addressed federal concerns about a 2014 environmental incident in Monett by taking responsibility for two Clean Water Act violations. We deeply regret the mistake that was made and have taken corrective action to ensure it does not happen again. We are committed to doing better in all areas of our business, especially when it comes to protecting the environment. Since the incident, we have organized lessons learned training for all environmental managers of our poultry operations. We have strengthened our environmental policies and procedures to help prevent similar errors.
Full US Attorney’s Office press release:
TYSON POULTRY HAS A FINE OF $ 2 MILLION FOR BREACH OF THE CLEAN WATER ACT
WASHINGTON – Tyson Poultry Inc. has been ordered in a federal court in Springfield, Missouri to pay a criminal fine of $ 2 million, serve two years of probation and pay $ 500,000 to directly repair damage caused in the event of violation of the Clean Water Act, the Justice Department said. The charges stemmed from rejections at Tyson’s slaughter and processing plant in Monett, Missouri, which led to a major fish mortality event.
Tyson Poultry, the largest chicken producer in the country, is headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, and is a subsidiary of Tyson Foods Inc. According to court records, Tyson Poultry’s conviction results from a spill at its plant in feed in Aurora, Missouri, where he mixed ingredients to produce chicken feed. One of the ingredients was a liquid food supplement called “Alimet”, which is a very strong acid with a pH of less than one. In May 2014, the tank used to store Alimet at the Aurora Power Plant leaked. Tyson had the spilled substance transported to its plant in Monett where the Alimet was then dumped into the sewers and discharged into the municipal wastewater treatment plant in the town of Monett. Alimet killed the bacteria used to reduce ammonia in the wastewater treatment plant. As a result, more ammonia was released from the plant in Clear Creek, and approximately 108,000 fish were killed.
Pursuant to the plea agreement, Tyson Poultry also agreed to retain the services of an independent third party auditor to review environmental compliance at Tyson Poultry facilities across the country; organize specialized environmental training in all its poultry processing plants, hatcheries, feed mills, rendering plants and wastewater treatment plants; and implement improved policies and procedures to address the circumstances that gave rise to these violations.
“Good business practices are vital to protecting the public health and natural resources of our country,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey H. Wood for the Environment and Natural Resources Division. “When corporate misconduct disregards human safety or the environment in violation of federal laws, the Department of Justice and the EPA stand ready to seek all necessary legal action, including criminal sanctions, to ensure that these acts do not go unpunished. We hope that the outcome of this case will be a lesson for all businesses dealing with hazardous waste. ”
“Today’s sentence not only repairs the damage caused locally by Tyson Poultry, but puts in place safeguards to prevent similar occurrences at Tyson Poultry facilities across the country,” said US Attorney Timothy A. Garrison for the Western District of Missouri. “Tyson’s $ 2.5 million fine and restitution reflects the seriousness of this offense and our commitment to protecting Missouri’s natural resources.”
“Today’s conviction not only holds Tyson Poultry accountable for his illegal actions, it includes important requirements for the company to improve compliance with the law to avoid future violations,” said the administrator. Assistant Susan Bodine for the EPA Office of Compliance and Enforcement. “This case illustrates the EPA’s commitment to protect drinking water by prosecuting the most egregious violations.”
Acting Assistant Attorney General Wood and Acting U.S. Attorney Larson thanked the Criminal Investigations Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for their work in this investigation. The case was prosecuted by Senior Counsel Kris Dighe of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division and Deputy U.S. Prosecutors Patrick Carney and Casey Clark of the Office. of the United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri.
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