CULLMAN, Ala. – Last Thursday, June 6, approximately 220,000 gallons of effluent (liquid waste or sewage) were spilled by the Tyson Foods, Inc./River Valley Ingredients plant (formerly American Proteins) in Hanceville into the Dave Young Creek, which flows to the Mulberry Fork. Reaction was swift and, in the cases of river residents and the nonprofit group Black Warrior Riverkeeper, pointed, as the spill led to a “massive fish kill” and a warning against recreational use of the Mulberry Fork. It was the plant’s fourth environmental incident affecting the Mulberry Fork since 2011.
In August 2016, American Proteins spilled 900 gallons of sulfuric acid into the river at approximately the same point where last week’s spillage took place. In May and June 2015, American Proteins accidentally released 80,000 gallons of wastewater into the river at the same location. The company was fined $50,000 by the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) for the two incidents. (www.cullmantribune.com/2016/12/01/updated-american-proteins-to-pay-50000-fine-for-violations-including-mulberry-fork-acid-spill)
The plant was also the source of a spill in 2011, which was attributed to damage from the April 27 tornadoes. The company was not charged or fined.
All of these events resulted in fish kills, but residents say last Thursday’s event looks bigger than the previous incidents.
Tyson Foods’ Derek Burleson on Friday, June 14 issued the following statement (the company has also released other statements since the June 6 incident):
“Representatives of River Valley Ingredients and owner Tyson Foods met with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management Thursday to discuss the recent accidental release of partially treated wastewater at Hanceville and the proactive measures the company has taken to address it.
“Tyson Foods bought the plant in August 2018 and this week reported that as part of significant upgrade to the facility, a pipe provided and installed by an outside contractor failed and resulted in the accidental release of 220,000 gallons of partially treated wastewater. This unfortunately led to a loss of fish in nearby streams because of reduced oxygen levels in the water.
“The company stopped the accidental release and brought in an outside environmental contractor the same day to help with clean-up. These efforts included collection of fish affected by the release. This work has now been completed and oxygen levels in the affected streams have returned to normal.
“We deeply regret this incident and will continue to work with state officials and members of the community to evaluate remediation options. We will follow up with the contractor that supplied the failed pipe and also continue our previously planned work to upgrade the facility.”
Black Warrior Riverkeeper, the nonprofit whose stated mission is to protect and restore the Black Warrior River and its tributaries, on Thursday, June 13 released the following:
“Tyson fish kill update 6/13: Today we called Tyson Foods and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) to get more information on the spill at Tyson’s chicken rendering facility near Hanceville, and its downstream impacts. As of 4:30 PM we have received no responses or updates from either party. Our water sampling this Monday at the confluence of the Mulberry and Sipsey Forks, 28 miles downstream of Tyson, returned results for E. coli of nearly 600 col./100mL, double the maximum amount allowed by the state of Alabama in surface waters during the summer recreation season. This Tuesday, ADEM confirmed finding pathogens but did not specify where, when, or at what amount. This Wednesday, Tyson reported that dissolved oxygen was improving in the Mulberry Fork but did not specify where or when. Tyson also oddly announced that folks could start enjoying the river again, but only based that vague suggestion on improved dissolved oxygen, which has little relevance to human safety (unlike bacteria). Meanwhile, Tyson’s slug of spilled waste water continues to head downriver. We continue to recommend that people and their pets avoid contact with the Mulberry Fork for the time being, especially where water is muddy, stinky, or carrying dead fish.
“Please join us in encouraging anyone concerned to file complaints with ADEM, urging them to levy stiff penalties for Tyson: bls@adem.state.al.us (Brad Stearns). Also, please write elected officials to complain about Tyson and ADEM: https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials. If you have good pictures of the spill, please email them to Black Warrior Riverkeeper: info@blackwarriorriver.org. If you have questions about the safety of your drinking water, please contact your local water provider listed on your water bill. Finally, if you have questions about swimming and fishing safety, please contact your county’s department of health (and/or the Alabama Department of Public Health).”
On Wednesday, June 12, Tyson Foods, Inc.’s Worth Sparkman sent The Tribune the following statement:
“River Valley Ingredients would like for the public to know that as of today, June 12, 2019, the Mulberry Fork and the Sipsey Fork near Hanceville, Alabama, are available for recreation. Oxygen levels in the water have returned to normal, which are appropriate for area wildlife.
“Again, we deeply regret the incident and appreciate the coordination of efforts and help we received from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. We will be seeking guidance from both agencies on our longer-term remediation efforts and will communicate those to the community once we’ve decided on the course of action.”
See the latest from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management here.
Check www.CullmanTribune.com for the very latest on this story.
Background links:
June 13: https://www.wvtm13.com/article/tyson-farms-waste-water-spill-spreads-e-coli-kills-fish-in-black-warrior-river/28007001
June 11: https://www.cullmantribune.com/2019/06/11/feature-river-residents-sound-off-about-tysons-mulberry-fork-spill-fish-kill/
June 7: https://www.cullmantribune.com/2019/06/07/tyson-spill-public-encouraged-to-avoid-dave-young-creek-mulberry-fork/
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Mullberry Fork Fish Kill Update from ADEM June 14 by TheCullmanTribune on Scribd
