Soybean Processor in Des Moines Faces $20K Fine for Long-Term Air Pollution

US: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has found that Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, a long-time producer of Soybean meal and vegetable oil in Des Moines, has been releasing excess air pollution since expanding its facility a few years ago. To address this issue, the company has agreed to pay $20,000 to the state and install new equipment to rectify the problem by late next year, according to recent DNR orders. ADM's facility, located on the northeast side of the city, receives Soybeans through trucks and rail. The grain is dried, its hull is removed, and then flattened to extract oil through a hexane solvent, as per state documents.

To reuse the solvent from the oil and Soybean meal, a facility inadvertently contaminated the air with some of the solvent. According to state records, in 2015, the company applied for permission to expand its operation to process 180,000 bushels of Soybeans daily, which represented a 16% increase. However, during the expansion, the facility overlooked upgrading a crucial component that extracts hexane from Soybean meal, resulting in an estimated 85% of hexane losses due to this inadequate equipment.

The excessive presence of hexane emissions has been reported to cause health concerns such as dizziness, nausea, and headaches when inhaled by individuals. These exposures are typically experienced at workplaces and chronic exposure can eventually lead to nerve damage. Unfortunately, a facility has been found to have emitted excessive amounts of hexane for over four years, from October 2018 to April 2023.

Following ADM's report of excessive hexane emissions, they have committed to minimizing losses and conducting ongoing testing while working with IDNR to complete a permit application to resolve the solvent loss issues. Furthermore, the DNR has also identified that the equipment responsible for drying and cooling Soybean meal has been emitting an unacceptable level of particulate matter.

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) usually imposes a maximum penalty of $10,000 for administrative fines. However, in the case of hexane and particulate matter violations, two separate agreements were made, each imposing the maximum fine, resulting in a total of $20,000.

According to Dane Lisser, a spokesperson for ADM, the company is dedicated to responsibly operating all its facilities while taking necessary steps to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and permits. This statement was made to the Iowa Capital Dispatch.

ADM, a multinational grain processing company based in Illinois, may face penalties for documentation and permit violations. The Polk County Environmental Services was delegated authority by the DNR to regulate air pollution and fined ADM $14,000 in 2014 and 2016. The violations were related to deficiencies in testing, records, and permit conditions. ADM operates multiple Ethanol plants, two of which may be connected to a carbon dioxide pipeline proposed in eastern Iowa.