Chehalis business fined $876,000 for illegally dumping slaughterhouse wastewater

Over a period of three years, a Chehalis business illegally dumped millions of gallons of untreated slaughterhouse wastewater onto land in Lewis County near the Chehalis River.

Following an investigation, the Washington Department of Ecology issued an $876,000 penalty to the owners of County L Farms, LLC, for violating Washington's Water Pollution Control Act through the illegal disposal. Jerry and Nicole Foster, owners of County L Farms, were paid more than $1.3 million to properly dispose of millions of gallons of wastewater.

Jon Kenning, Ecology's water quality program manager, called the company's actions egregious, especially considering how long the illegal discharges went on.

"What the Fosters did was absolutely illegal," Kenning said. "This business shortcut is inexcusable. There is a right way to dispose of this type of waste, yet the company chose differently."

The slaughterhouse wastewater was made up of animal blood, cleaning products, rinse water, and other animal bits discarded on the floor.

Ecology regulates wastewater from slaughterhouses and other industrial facilities. Wastewater from those facilities contains nutrients and other pollutants that, if improperly disposed of, can feed harmful algal blooms and reduce dissolved oxygen levels that fish need.

The Fosters have 30 days to appeal the penalty to the Washington Pollution Control Hearings Board.