DNREC announces order requiring Allen Harim to act on environmental concerns at poultry plants

DELAWARE – The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control announced on Tuesday that they have signed a conciliation order with Allen Harim Foods, LLC, requiring the company to take actions protective of human health and the environment at its Millsboro and Harbeson facilities.

According to the order, Allen Harim is required to perform wastewater reduction actions, investigate and install stormwater improvements, and terminate stream discharge for wastewater disposal purposes at both the Harbeson and Millsboro facilities. The order also resolves past effluence violations at the Harbeson facility and requires cleanout and repurposing of an old anaerobic lagoon as a diversion lagoon for non-compliant wastewater prior to retreatment and disposal.

In addition, we’re told Allem Harim agrees to pay a penalty of $150,340 and will be subject to stipulated penalties by DNREC for non-compliance with any corrective action provisions of the order.

The second action taken by DNCREC on Tuesday concerning Allem Harim involves the issuance of an Onsite Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Operations Permit for the company’s Harbeson facility. This permit allows Allen Harim to perform onsite treatment of poultry processing wastewater and transfer treated effluent to Atersian’s Northern Sussex Regional Recharge Facility for disposal via spray irrigation. Allen Harim will also be required to implement the same high level of treatment that would be required for spray disposal at golf courses or state parks, and divert non-compliant wastewater onsite for retreatment if needed.