Environmentalists and the U.S. Department of Justice say an alphabet soup of pollutants has been flowing from Campbell Soup factories into rivers that flow into Lake Erie for years, posing an ongoing threat to humans and wildlife.
The soup giant dumps wastewater from its Napoleon, Ohio, plant containing E. coli, phosphorus and other contaminants into the Maumee River, according to two separate lawsuits filed by the Department of Justice, Environment America and the Lake Erie Water Conservation Group. .
Illegally high levels of phosphorus are contributing to toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie. annual threats to humanityanimals and the region’s drinking water, Environment America claimed.
“Toxic algae in Lake Erie is not what Ohioans want from a company like Campbell,” said John Rampler, director of Environment Ohio, part of Environment America. In a news release.
“Installing state-of-the-art wastewater treatment systems to eliminate Clean Water Act violations is exactly what Campbell’s millions of loyal customers have come to expect.”
Oil and grease are also among the regularly emitted pollutants, the group claims.
The Ohio facility is one of Campbell’s largest in North America and generates millions of gallons of wastewater from canneries that make soups, juices and sauces.
Environmental groups say Campbell’s own monitoring reports have revealed that the company committed thousands of Clean Water Act violations over the past five years.
The company has been fined for more than 5,000 violations, each valued at $64,618.
The two suits are likely to be combined.
The group is demanding that the company renovate its wastewater treatment facility.
A Campbells spokesperson said: in a statement The company takes concerns very seriously and is working towards a permanent resolution.
with post wire
