Hazardous Waste Handling

Mosaic Fertilizer has reached a settlement with the US Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) after alleged violations of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) regarding storage, handling and disposal of hazardous waste.

The EPA claims that Mosaic failed to appropriately store and dispose of waste from phosphoric and sulfuric acid production as part of fertiliser manufacture on several sites in Florida and Louisiana. Additionally, the EPA claims that Mosaic failed to provide adequate financial provision for future maintenance and closure of its facilities.

The settlement requires Mosaic to invest at least $170 million (£110 million) into waste management and recovery procedures at its sites, and set $630 million into trust to support long term care and closure of phosphogypsum waste stack systems. Mosaic is also required to spend $2.2 million on environmental projects in Florida and Louisiana and pay an $8 million penalty.