LINKWOOD, MD - The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) has fined a Dorchester County poultry rendering plant for alleged pollution violations risking nearby waterways.
According to the MDE, a field inspection was conducted at Darling Ingredients, formerly Valley Proteins, on Linkwood Road from February 13th to February 16th, 2024 to monitor the status of corrective environmental actions required under a 2022 consent decree. MDE says, based on the results of that inspection, Darling Ingredients was found to have 51 violations of an order that requires the Plant to maintain at least 2 feet of freeboard in their two wastewater lagoons.
Under the compliance order, Darling Ingredients is required to pay $250 a day for the first 7 days of noncompliance, $500 a day between 8 and 120 days of noncompliance, and $1,000 a day after that until compliance is met.
In total, MDE has fined the animal waste rendering plant $15,000 for noncompliance.
Though MDE says they may reduce or waive penalties for noncompliance due to special circumstances, the Department says they found no reason to waive the $15,000 fine.
Notice of the fine, issued on May 24th, stipulates Darling Ingredients has 14 days to contest the fines.