The detailed analysis was conducted by the Union of Concerned Scientists, providing evidence that Tyson dumped more than 370 million pounds of pollutants into waterways between 2018-2022. However, the group notes that these numbers are just estimates based on publicly available data, so the data is very conversative at best.
The group wrote in their report:
Between 2018 and 2022, Tyson processed billions of animals, generating enormous quantities of wastewater—according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), over 87 billion gallons (Tyson Foods n.d.; US EPA n.d.). That is enough to fill more than 177,000 Olympic swimming pools (City of Corvallis, Oregon n.d.). In a single year, 2022, Tyson discharged over 18.5 billion gallons of wastewater. This wastewater contains millions of pounds of toxic pollutants that damage the environment and threaten the health of plants, animals, and people (Burkhart et al. 2018).
To investigate the extent of Tyson’s water pollutant load, we used publicly available data from the EPA to estimate the quantity and geospatial distribution of Tyson’s water discharges from 2018 to 2022. This investigation included Tyson facilities that piped wastewater directly into waterways, threatening surface and groundwater quality (Burkhart et al. 2018). Our analysis found that over five years, Tyson’s meat processing plants dumped 371.72 million pounds of pollutants into waterways across the United States, with over half of the pollutant load concentrated in just three states: Nebraska, Illinois, and Missouri.
Because discharges directly from meat processing plants are only a fraction of the meat processing industry’s overall water pollution, our analysis is likely a drastic underestimation of Tyson’s true environmental impact. Large industrial meat processers such as Tyson Foods procure slaughter animals from concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), which are sources of significant air, water, soil, noise, and odor pollution that harm the environment and threaten human health (Son, Miranda, and Bell 2021). The feed for these slaughter animals is cultivated using harmful industrial agriculture practices—such as the overapplication of synthetic nitrogen, phosphorus, and manure fertilizer—which can run off into waterways, resulting in serious environmental and human health issues and detrimental impacts to the economy.
Previous research by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) concluded that nitrogen fertilizer runoff from the Midwest causes up to $2.4 billion per year in damages to fisheries and marine habitats in the Gulf of Mexico (Boehm 2020). Earlier research estimated a 10- to 15-fold increase in reactive nitrogen in US rivers over the past century (Sobota et al. 2015). Further, the EPA has highlighted states where groundwater sources exceed the maximum contaminant level for nitrates, which are formed when excess fertilizers decompose, threatening drinking water safety (US EPA 2023a; Schechinger and Cox 2018).
The scientists also note that Tyson has repeatedly been fined for breaking the Clean Water Act (CWA), and oft breaking other state statutes, but the food production giant has regularly ignored them and brushed off these fines.
Tyson came under fire last month when it was announced they would be hiring tens of thousands of workers to work in their factories, while at the same time laying-off thousands of Americans, with mainstream media insinuating that Tyson is doing this because they are looking to fill jobs Americans are reluctant to do. SEE: Tyson Foods To Hire Thousands Of Illegal Immigrants As They Layoff Thousands More Of Americans
AUTHOR COMMENTARY
Tyson has only been getting fined half a million here, and a few million there. Statista reported that “In 2023, global sales of Tyson Foods amounted to approximately 52.88 billion U.S. dollars. This is a decrease of about 400 million U.S. dollars compared to the previous fiscal year.” Talk Business also reported: “Tyson Foods’ top 5 execs earn combined $36.5 million in 2023.” These fines imposed on them are just crumbs and is the cost of doing business.
The authors noted in their piece:
If you have ever purchased meat or poultry from the grocery store or enjoyed chicken nuggets from a fast food restaurant, chances are you are a consumer of Tyson Foods. Tyson is one of the nation’s largest meat and poultry producers—and the world’s second largest—operating 123 US processing plants with more than 124,000 employees.
It is absolutely repugnant what has happened to this country and what we’ve allowed to happen. Small family farms, many of them, were driven out of business and consolidated in the 70’s and 80’s, and in its place rose these major corporations that prioritized quantity over quality. They could care less about the health of the animals, the health of the land, and the health of us: they only care about the bottom line; and Americans have been swallowing their slop hand over fist for decades with a second guess.
Proverbs 12:10 A righteous man regardeth the life of his beast: but the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.
As I often say, convenience is a killer.
1 Timothy 6:9 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. [10] For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
[7] Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? [8] Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? [10] Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope. (1 Corinthians 9:7-10).
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That is one heck of a lot of crap to dispose of, they should be shut down, BUT as always follow the money and you’ll see whose hands were greased to allow such a fiasco to happen.
“BECAUSE SENTENCE AGAINST AN EVIL WORK IS NOT EXECUTED SPEEDILY, THEREFORE THE HEART OF THE SONS OF MEN IS FULLY SET IN THEM TO DO EVIL.” ECCL 8:11
This company disgusts me on so many levels, it’s not funny, one of which is they add ground crickets/bugs to the flour they use to bread their frozen chicken. Heaven only knows what other toxic junk they throw in their foods and the horrors they feed their chickens. I boycotted them a while back and will never buy any product they sell!!!