Feds, advocacy groups sue Campbell Soup, accuse company of polluting Lake Erie
Campbell soup is facing two federal lawsuits, both filed Wednesday, over accusations that it's canning factory in northwest Ohio pollutes the Maumee River and contributes to algal blooms on Lake Erie. Campbell Soup Co. is being sued twice by the federal government and environmental advocacy groups, including the U.S. Department of Justice, over accusations that its canning facility in northwestern Ohio pollutes Lake Erie. The company's factory in Napoleon, Ohio, has been accused of discharging millions of gallons of wastewater since 2018 into the Maumee River, which has seen high levels of phosphorous, which contributes to harmful algal blooms. The National Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit on behalf of two environmental advocacy organizations, Environment Ohio and Lake Erie Waterkeeper, and the Justice Department filed a separate lawsuit against Campbell. The EPA is seeking a judge's order to stop Campbell’s pollution. Both lawsuits seek court-ordered permanent changes, along with fines and penalties. Campbell says it has made some improvements to the canning factory and is working on a new wastewater treatment plant at the factory.
Published : a month ago by adamferrise, Adam Ferrise | [email protected], Adam Ferrise in Environment
CLEVELAND, Ohio— Campbell Soup Co. was sued twice Wednesday, including a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, over accusations that its canning facility in northwestern Ohio pollutes Lake Erie.
Campbell’s factory in Napoleon that sits on the Maumee River has discharged millions of gallons of wastewater since 2018 into the river that flows into Lake Erie, according to the lawsuits filed in federal court in Toledo.
Some of the discharges include high levels of phosphorous, which contributes to harmful algal blooms that plagued the western basin of the lake for years, the lawsuits said.
“The toxic algae in Lake Erie is hardly the kind of soup that Ohioans want from a company like Campbell,” said John Rumpler, a program director for Environment Ohio, one of the advocacy agencies involved in the lawsuits.
“Installing a modern wastewater treatment system to end its Clean Water Act violations is nothing less than what Campbell’s millions of loyal consumers would expect.”
The National Environmental Law Center filed a lawsuit on behalf of two environmental advocacy organizations — Environment Ohio and Lake Erie Waterkeeper.
The Justice Department, on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, filed a separate lawsuit Wednesday, but the two cases are expected to merge.
The EPA is seeking a judge’s order to stop Campbell’s pollution. Both lawsuits seek court-ordered permanent changes, along with fines and penalties.
The National Environmental Law Center has been working with the EPA on the lawsuits for some time, said the law center’s senior attorney, Josh Kratka. He said negotiations with Campbell are expected to continue.
“We think it’s very significant and appropriate,” Kratka said of working with the EPA. “We both feel this is a serious and longstanding problem posed by this factory. I think we’ve been working really well and cooperatively together along with company to come up with a long-term fix.”
Campbell — the Camden, New Jersey, soup giant — said in a statement the company has already made some improvements to the canning factory and is working on a new wastewater treatment plant at the factory.
“We take this matter very seriously,” Campbell’s statement said. “We will continue to take immediate action to address this and have capital investments planned to resolve this issue permanently. We will continue to work with regulators and other stakeholders to improve our operations and comply with all environmental regulations.”
The lawsuits said Campbell’s own pollution-monitoring reports show that since 2018 the factory on Ohio 110 committed thousands of Clean Water Act violations, and it routinely discharges high levels of phosphorous, E. coli bacteria, oil and grease and other pollutants into the river.
The Maumee River sits about 43 miles upstream for Lake Erie and is surrounded by campgrounds, nature preserves and a state park.
“Unless and until the company either suspends production at the site or implements a new or significantly modified wastewater treatment system, its violations will continue,” the National Environmental Law Center’s lawsuit said.
Adam Ferrise covers federal courts at cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer. You can find his work here.
Topics: Lawsuits