Tyson Foods dumped millions of pounds of toxic pollutants directly into American rivers and lakes over the last five years, threatening critical ecosystems, endangering wildlife and human health, a new investigation reveals.

Nitrogen, phosphorus, chloride, oil and cyanide were among the 371m lb of pollutants released into waterways by just 41 Tyson slaughterhouses and mega processing plants between 2018 and 2022.

According to research by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the contaminants were dispersed in 87bn gallons of wastewater – which also contains blood, bacteria and animal feces – and released directly into streams, rivers, lakes and wetlands relied on for drinking water, fishing and recreation. The UCS analysis, shared exclusively with the Guardian, is based on the most recent publicly available water pollution data Tyson is required to report under current regulations.

Archived at https://web.archive.org/web/20240430115519/https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/apr/30/tyson-foods-toxic-pollutants-lakes-rivers

  • @[email protected]
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    448 months ago

    The wastewater was enough to fill about 132,000 Olympic-size pools, according to a Guardian analysis.

    Can we please hold these fucks accountable?

    • @Delusional
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      128 months ago

      Nope. Best we can do is a $100 fine.

      • umulu
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        48 months ago

        So fucking revolting

    • @force
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      78 months ago

      I like how Olympic-size pool is such a universal unit of measurement lol. I remember looking for the number for how much waste nuclear power plants produce and it was something like the entire US produces half an Olympic-sized swimming pool of spent fuel annually.

      • androogee (they/she)
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        138 months ago

        Like death penalty accountable, not slap on the wrist fines that are less than the profits “accountable”

        • @[email protected]
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          38 months ago

          Really the fines should completely erode any profit. I.e. Businesses can’t afford to not do the right thing.

        • @fukurthumz420
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          28 months ago

          it’s the only way to make real change. they have to be scared.