SEATTLE — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says one of the nation’s biggest seafood companies has agreed to spend up to $23 million to fix serious air pollution issues with its vessels and land-based facilities.
Seattle-based Trident Seafoods will also pay a $900,000 fine for Clean Air Act violations under a settlement deal filed Tuesday in federal court in Alaska.
The company uses ozone-depleting coolants in its refrigerators. While the law requires any leaks to be fixed within 30 days, the government said Trident allowed some leaks to persist for years. The EPA said more than 200,000 pounds of harmful gases were released into the atmosphere.
Trident agreed to retrofit or retire 23 refrigeration appliances, install leak detectors and promptly repair leaks.Since the sale closed on Aug. 28, 2017, the American-Statesman has tracked prices at the Austin-based grocer to see how Amazon’s promised cost reduction has proceeded. Prices of a 23-item basket have decreased over time. But ahead of another check set to happen this month, recent media reports indicate that Whole Foods’ prices are on the rise as Whole Foods sales growth has slowed.
