Tons of pollution will removed by government settlement annually

A Clean Air Act settlement between agricultural processor Bunge North America Inc. and multiple Midwest states will remove 2200 tons of pollution annually from our atmosphere.

The $13.9 million settlement includes 12 plants in 8 states from Louisiana to Illinois.

One misconception about agricultural processing facilities is that they are not major sources of pollution because when we think of industrial pollution it often involves coal and oil industries.

In order to extract oil from soybeans or other organic sources, companies often use harsh solvents that are then released into the air. The chemicals released are mainly harmful organic compounds that can contaminate ground water or get into the air causing problems for people with respiratory ailments.

"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 who had once supported gutting the Clean Air Act 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. In addition to paying a fine and retrofitting its production facilities, the company also agreed to finance public works projects for each of the 8 states that sued the company. They include upgrading school buses, asbestos abatement from schools, and funding conservation projects.

Source : free-hobbies.blogspot.com