Des Moines soybean plant ADM fined for air quality violations

A Des Moines soybean processing plant has been hit with a $20,000 fine for allegedly exceeding the state's limit in harmful pollutants emitted into the air.

In an agreement with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Illinois-based Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. will pay the fine and have to make improvements in its air quality impacts moving forward, as first reported by Axios.

The violations and penalty were outlined in an administrative consent order, an agreement to avoid litigation, and published May 26 on the Iowa DNR's website.

Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. is a human and animal nutrition company that focuses on agricultural origination and processing, according to its website.

ADM owns and operates a soybean processing plant in Des Moines at 1935 E. Euclid Ave. The facility processes soybeans to produce soybean meal and refined vegetable oil as its primary products. It also maintains a coal-fired cogeneration facility for the production of process steam and electricity.

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As part of its process, the plant uses and emits hexane, which is a volatile organic compound emitted as gas from some solids or liquids and may cause adverse health effects, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Hexane also is a hazardous air pollutant.

The facility also emits particulate matter. Also called particle pollution, it's the term for a mixture of solid particles and liquid droplets found in the air. Some particles such as dust, dirt, soot or smoke are large or dark enough to be seen with the naked eye, while others can be detected only by using an electron microscope, according to the EPA. Particulate matter can have adverse health effects.

The state sets limits on how much of these pollutants can be emitted.

Back in 2015, ADM submitted an application to the DNR and the Polk County Air Quality Division requesting to make modifications to its Des Moines facility to increase soybean processing capacity to 180,000 bushels per day, according to the document. The company promised to stay within the limits for volatile organic compound emissions.

But the DNR alleges ADM went over its 12-month rolling average limits for volatile organic compounds multiple times from October 2018 to January 2019, and then consistently from June 2019 through April.

The agency also alleged ADM went over its limit for emitting particulate matter on several occasions since late 2018.

The Des Moines and West Des Moines metro areas rank at the top among the cleanest U.S. cities for ozone air pollution, according to the American Lung Association's State of the Air report, which examines two of the most widespread and dangerous air pollutants, fine particles and ozone. Exposure to unhealthy levels of ozone air pollution makes breathing difficult for Americans all across the country, the association says.

But the association's data shows that Des Moines’ particle pollution has worsened; it currently ranks 77th worst for 24-hour particle pollution out of 223 metropolitan areas. Coal plants in Iowa are a major producer of particle pollution, and western wildfires also have added to local particle burdens, association officials told Iowa Public Radio.

By failing to comply with both the volatile organic compounds and particulate matter limits, the state alleges ADM was "causing excess emissions," the consent order states.

"ADM's failure to comply in a timely manner has forced the DNR and Polk County to spend additional time and resources in an effort to assist the facility in attempting to comply. Thus, this violation threatens the integrity of the DNR's air quality program," according to the document.

The company has been ordered to pay a total of $20,000 — $10,000 for the alleged volatile organic compounds emission violation and another $10,000 for the alleged particulate matter violation, according to the DNR.

ADM also has to submit quarterly progress reports to the DNR regarding its efforts to comply with the requirements of the administrative consent order, until it shows that it can comply with the emission limits, according to the document. The first quarterly report is due June 30.

The company will have to correct the emission calculation errors made between 2017 and 2022 and submit them to the state within 90 days of signing the order.

"ADM does not admit or deny the statement of facts and conclusions of law" stated in the order, according to the document. However, by signing the agreement, the company waives its right to appeal the order.

"ADM is committed to operating all of our facilities in a responsible manner and taking appropriate measures to ensure our operations meet environmental permits and regulations," ADM spokesperson Dane Lisser wrote in an email to the Des Moines Register. "We take this commitment very seriously and work closely with authorities to promptly investigate and address concerns."

"In this case, we amicably resolved Iowa DNR concerns and will continue to meet the commitments we made in our recent agreements with the agency," Lisser added.

Virginia Barreda is the Des Moines city government reporter for the Register. She can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter at @vbarreda2.