ADEQ Targets Simmons Foods for Illegal Spill
by January 18, 2001 3:30 pm 129 views
A surprise inspection Jan. 17 by the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality at one of Simmons Foods Inc.’s Van Buren plants found evidence of a wrongful spill into the Arkansas River, the ADEQ said today.
The inspection, conducted by field inspector Don Morgan of the department’s Springdale office, also found a discrepancy on how much water was being taken in compared with the amount being discharged at the plant. Officials at the Simmons plant are conducting an internal investigation into the cause of the discrepancy.
Doug Szenher, director of public affairs at ADEQ, formerly the Arkansas Department of Pollution Control and Ecology, said “much more investigation and paperwork” would be done on the matter.
Van Buren has two Simmons plants. The one being investigated is the older plant at 5 Main St., where chicken deboning and other processing takes place.
Officials at Simmons Foods’ headquarters in Siloam Springs and at the Van Buren plant did not return phone calls by deadline.
Simmons Foods is a private, fully integrated poultry company that had gross revenue of $405 million in 2000.