UK Energy Firm Admits Violating Toxic Pollutant Limits At Its Louisiana Plant

British energy giant Drax Global, already under scrutiny for running afoul of environmental laws in multiple states, has disclosed to the state of Louisiana that its wood pellet production facilities emit hazardous air pollutants above their permitted limits, Jack Brook reported for the Associated Press (AP).

Drax operates seven wood pellet production facilities across four states and paid out $2.5 million in fines for violating air emissions limits in Mississippi in 2020 and $3.2 million in pollution-related settlements in Louisiana in 2022. I Photo: Drax Global

Drax is a key provider for British utilities and one of the renewable energy industry’s largest players, earning $1.53 billion in profits last year.

It operates seven wood pellet production facilities across four states and paid out $2.5 million in fines for violating air emissions limits in Mississippi in 2020 and $3.2 million in pollution-related settlements in Louisiana in 2022.

Following pressure from lawsuits brought by environmental advocacy groups, the company agreed to install pollution controls in 2021 at its three production facilities across Mississippi and Louisiana.

The company conducted testing in August 2023 and about six months later informed the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality that both facilities should be considered a “major source” of hazardous air pollutant emissions.

The tests revealed that Morehouse BioEnergy LLC and LaSalle BioEnergy LLC emitted high rates of probable carcinogens acetaldehyde and formaldehyde, with each site emitting more than 38 tons per year of toxic or hazardous air pollutants.

The current permitted limit for each facility is 10 tons for a single pollutant or 25 tons for a combination of hazardous air pollutants. s