ADM fined $20K for air pollution at Iowa soybean plant

State of play: ADM maintains a coal-fired facility to produce steam and electricity for soybean meal and refined vegetable oil production.

• The company agreed to make plant modifications and abide by air pollution limits after applying to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources for a permit to increase production in 2015.

Yes, but: Iowa regulators allege ADM exceeded twelve-month rolling average limits for volatile organic compounds (VOC) during parts of 2018 and consistently between June 2019 through April 2023.

• It also allegedly violated particulate matter (PM) levels on multiple occasions, according to state documents.

What's next ADM will pay the state fines and make ongoing construction improvements to reduce air pollution in projects completed by the end of 2024, according to agreements signed May 24 by Mike Kuntz, the company's DSM plant manager.

• ADM will also correct emissions calculation errors made between 2017 and 2022 and pay unreported emissions fees, per the agreements.

• Its first quarterly progress report is due June 30.

Flashback: ADM was also fined $14,000 by Polk County regulators in 2015 and 2016 for failing to perform some required air quality checks and analyses, DNR documents show.

What they're saying: ADM did not admit or deny the facts and conclusions of laws cited by regulators. The agreements were made to avoid litigation, according to the documents.

• ADM amicably resolved the DNR’s concerns and is committed to meeting environmental standards, the company said in a written response to Axios yesterday.