A South Seattle-based seafood-processing company has been fined $10,000 for putting waste water tainted with fish residue and blood into a storm drain.
Ecology department officials found contaminated water in April and May at Western United Fish Company's (WUFC) facility. According to WUFC president and owner Alex Tran, the company was unaware that washing its insulated containers used to carry fish outside posed a problem. Environmental officials, however, warned WUFC of Clean Water Act violations several times before invoking a fine.
Tran said there was miscommunication about the warnings. "I wasn't aware this was so serious," he said, adding that the company recently implemented a new process for washing the containers in question. WUFC will no longer clean the fish-carrying containers outside where the water can trickle into storm drains, he said.
The water from storm drains around the WUFC facility flows into the Duwamish River. The Department of Ecology feared the company's waste water might threaten fish and other aquatic and marine life in the river by lowering oxygen levels.
Source: The Seattle Times
