December 11, 2018
Smithfield Foods has been fined for wastewater violations at its Sioux Falls plant.
The South Dakota Department of Environment and Natural Resources fined Smithfield Foods more than $53,000 for violating its surface water discharge permit in August.
The fine includes $26,900 for surface water quality violations and $26,482 for laboratory costs incurred by the DENR.
Smithfield reported to the DENR on Aug. 15 that a problem at its Sioux Falls wastewater plant was causing higher-than-allowed ammonia levels to be discharged into the Big Sioux River, violating the permitted daily maximum limit for seven days in August, according to the DENR. During that time frame, the facility also had two daily maximum fecal coliform violations and one daily maximum total suspended solids violation, according to the DENR.
Smithfield said in a statement that it has settled with the DENR regarding the violations. It noted that it identified and corrected the issue, and there wasn't any risk to human health or reports of impact to fish or other area wildlife.
