MASON CITY – A Mason City food distributor must face the consequences after their employees sprayed milkshake mix into a storm drain and it ended up in a creek.
According to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources:
Martin-Brower is a food ingredient warehouse and distribution center. It has numerous locations throughout the United States. The location that is the subject of this order is located at 2400 l5th St. SW in Mason City. On September 22, 2021, Martin-Brower signed an administrative consent order to resolve an illegal discharge that occurred on April 12, 2021, in which a milkshake ingredient was spilled from a dumpster at a loading dock on the property. At that time, a Martin-Brower representative reported that employees had cleaned the spilled material by removing the product to the storm sewer.
On February 8, 2024, DNR Field Office 2 received a complaint regarding discolored water in an unnamed tributary to Chelsea Creek in Mason City. Jeremy Klatt, F02 Environmental Specialist Senior, responded to the complaint and confirmed that there was a discharge from a storm sewer that discolored the unnamed tributary. The discharge was found to originate on the Martin-Brower property. Martin-Brower staff had spilled a milkshake ingredient and flushed a portion of the pollutant into the storm sewer, resulting in a discharge of a pollutant with a very high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) into Chelsea Creek. That same day, Martin Brower was instructed to flush the storm sewer and to remove the contaminated water from the Unnamed Tributary. Martin Brower hired a contractor and was able to remove a majority of the contaminated water from the sewer and unnamed tributary.
On February 20, 2024, the field office issued a notice of violation to Martin Brower for illegally discharging a pollutant into a water of the state.
As a result, the DNR and Martin-Brower agrees to the following:
l. Within 90 days of the effective date of this order, Martin-Brower shall post signage in the vicinity of the loading dock storm drains, reminding staff that the drains discharge to a surface water.
2. Within 90 days of the effective date of this order, Martin-Brower shall submit documentation showing that employees have been trained in proper spill remediation.
3. Within 60 days of the effective date of this order, JVtartm-Brower shall pay a $6,500 administrative penalty.
BRB dumping a gallon of milk down the drain.