ADM's Des Moines, Iowa, soybean processing plant has been fined $20,000 by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for exceeding the state's limit in harmful pollutants emitted into the air.
Axios reports these are the largest administrative penalties assessed to a company in Polk County through DNR consent orders since at least 2018, according to online records.
In an agreement with the Iowa DNR, ADM will:
- Pay the fine and make ongoing construction improvements to reduce air pollution in projects completed by the end of 2024
- Correct emissions calculation errors made between 2017 and 2022 and pay unreported emissions fees
In 2015, ADM agreed to make plant modifications and abide by air pollution limits after applying to the Iowa DNR for a permit to increase production at the facility.
Iowa regulators said ADM exceeded 12-month rolling average limits for volatile organic compounds (VOC) during parts of 2018 and consistently between June 2019 and April 2023. It also allegedly violated particulate matter (PM) levels on multiple occasions, according to state documents.
ADM was also fined $14,000 by Polk County regulators in 2015 and 2016 for failing to perform required air quality checks and analyses, DNR documents show.