REDWOOD FALLS — Farmers Union Industries, LLC, has been fined $130,000 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for wastewater overflow and other violations at its Central Bi-Products rendering plants in Redwood Falls and Long Prairie.

The primary violation was operating wastewater treatment ponds above the permitted maximum level, according to an MPCA news release.

Central Bi-Products processes animal carcasses into feed and fat products. Both the Redwood Falls and Long Prairie facilities processed significantly more raw material in 2018 than amounts submitted in their permit application.

The additional raw material processing created additional wastewater volume, contributing to elevated wastewater pond levels.

A wastewater pond at the Redwood Falls facility overflowed in March 2019, releasing from 112,000 to 336,000 gallons, some of which reached Minnesota River floodplain wetlands, according to the MPCA.

The pollution control agency had previously informed the Redwood Falls facility about pond level requirements.

Other violations included the unauthorized release of raw material liquids and shortfalls in reporting and record-keeping.

Through its stormwater discharges, the Long Prairie facility sent raw material liquids into the nearby Long Prairie River or wetlands. It failed to keep its wastewater treatment pond levels low enough. It discharged fuel from its diesel fuel dispensing area and storage-tank secondary containment structure.

Other violations included improper stormwater sampling procedures, and failure to include all sampling results in compliance reports.

Both facility sites attained compliance with their permit requirements and will be monitoring groundwater, doing pond water-balance testing, adopting alternative wastewater treatment options, setting up training, and creating an emergency response plan.

Coalition for a Clean Minnesota River (CCMR) Executive Director Scott Sparlin was surprised by the wastewater pollution issue.

“It is appalling,” Sparlin said. “With all the technologies companies have access tom as well as being totally aware of dealing with bi-product wastewater which companies are required to do by law, this is unacceptable.”‘

“The fine will hopefully be used to mitigate the impacts from this and will serve to detour the company from any violations in the future,” he added.

Central Bi-Products is a full-service rending company that operates three complexes — in Redwood Falls, Long Prairie, and Estherville, Iowa.

Both Minnesota complexes operate rendering processes for multi-species raw material, poultry raw material, feathers and blood.

Each of the processes is supported by its own protein blending plants that provide total protein product segregation.

MCPA rules are designed to protect human health and the environment by limiting pollution emissions and discharges from facilities.

When companies do not fully comply with regulatory requirements, the resulting pollution can be harmful to people and the environment.

When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account how seriously the violations affected the environment, whether they were first-time or repeat violations, and how promptly the violations were reported to authorities.

The agency also attempts to recover the economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.