The cooperative is committed to a goal of 100 percent environmental compliance, Joe Peter, environmental manager for SMBSC, told the Renville County board of commissioners Tuesday.
Peter and Gary Hamlin, vice president of operations, provided the commissioners with an annual environmental report. It is a requirement of the cooperative's permit to discharge treated wastewater into County Ditch 45, which becomes Sacred Heart Creek.
The company processed over 3.1 million tons of beets in the 2016-17 campaign, which ended April 27, according to information presented.
Wastewater discharges from the factory site remained in compliance during the past year, said Peter.
The challenge remains controlling emissions of hydrogen sulfide from the wastewater treatment and storage ponds at the factory site in Renville.
The cooperative is currently investing roughly $2 million into an aeration system in the pond holding the highest strength wastewater. The oxygen will help reduce hydrogen sulfide emissions.
The company is also working on finding more environmentally friendly chemicals to replace hydrogen peroxide, which is added to the ponds as part of the effort to reduce hydrogen sulfide emissions.
Source: www.wctrib.com