OAKLAND, CALIF. (CN) - Cargill Inc. spilled 218,000 gallons of bittern from its salt plant into the San Francisco Bay and surrounding wetlands, a federal lawsuit claims.
The highly concentrated saline liquid is a byproduct of salt production and can be harmful to fish, plants and birds, the state claims. It accuses Cargill of failing to report the spills in a timely manner and storing highly corrosive hazardous waste without filing an annual hazardous waste plan, as required by state law.
In an out-of-court settlement, Cargill agreed to implement measures to prevent bittern spills and to pay $228,000 in fines to state and local agencies. See complaint.
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