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Epa Settlement Removes 2200 Tons of Pollution a Year
Author: William GallahueOctober 26, 2006
The EPA reached a settlement between agricultural processor Bunge North America Inc. and multiple Midwest states over violations of the Clean Air Act. The judgement against the multi-state company will remove 2200 tons of pollution annually from the atmosphere.
The $13.9 million settlement includes 12 plants in 8 states from Louisiana to Illinois.
Agricultural processing facilities are major sources of pollution but often when we think of industrial pollution it often involves coal and oil industries.
The pollutants come in the form of solvents that are used when extracting soybean oils. The solvents are then vented from the plant and can accumulate in the form of air or ground pollution.
"This agreement is evidence of the Bush Administration's continuing commitment to ensuring compliance with the Clean Air Act. EPA expects companies to act responsibly and within the law when it comes to protecting public health and the environment."
Bush and Republican lawmakers had once supported gutting the Clean Air Act but are now trying to use it as evidence of their commitment to the environment, an issue that often ranks low for their party.
The government argued that Bunge did not get permits or approval for modifications to their soybean processing plants and those modifications led to significant increases in pollution. This case follows similar settlements with other processors including Cargill Inc. and Archer Daniels Midland.
"This settlement...will reduce the formation of ground-level ozone, a pollutant that irritates the lungs and exacerbates diseases such as asthma," said Sue Ellen Wooldridge, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.
Bunge is a multi-state agribusiness based in St. Louis, MO and is handles American operations for multinational corporation Bunge Limited.
-William Gallahue
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Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/environment-articles/epa-settlement-removes-2200-tons-of-pollution-a-year-67484.html
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Keywords:
pollution bunge settlement