Sugar processor violates Clean Water Act by discharging raw sugar into the Carquinez Strait
C&H Sugar Company Inc. has reached an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over allegations that the company violated the Clean Water Act at its sugar refinery in Crockett, California. According to the EPA, C&H Sugar’s facility discharged pollutants into the Carquinez Strait without any authorization. The discharge occurred when the plant received raw cane sugar from ships that dock at the facility. The EPA alleges that loose raw sugar was discharged during the unloading process, a violation of federal law. Additionally, the EPA learned that the facility:
- Failed to properly operate and maintain a wastewater system
- Failed to implement the company's Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan fully
- Violated the refinery's effluent limitations
To rectify these violations, C&H Sugar:
- Modified its sugar offloading system
- Will demonstrate that the new system adequately prevents discharges into the Carquinez Strait
- Will update its Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan and sugar management practices
What people are saying
In a recent quote, EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman said, "With this order, EPA is ensuring that C&H Sugar will act to protect the Bay and prevent further unauthorized discharges into the Carquinez Strait. With our state partners at the San Francisco Bay Region Water Quality Control Board we will continue to enforce the Clean Water Act, thereby defending public health and the environment."
EPA in the news
Cardboard manufacturer to correct Clean Air Act violations or face $120K in daily fines
The EPA investigation began after nearby residents complained about black smoke coming from the facility.
Borealis Compounds pays $450K for violating chemical safety requirements at New Jersey facility
According to the EPA, the company’s facility in Port Murray, New Jersey, violated the Toxic Substances Control Act.
RathGibson fined $150K for violating the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
During its investigation, the EPA discovered that RathGibson had violated several requirements under the RCRA statute.
About the Author
Alexis GajewskiAlexis Gajewski
Senior Content Strategist
Alexis Gajewski is a manufacturing writer and editor with nearly 20 years of experience covering the people, practices, and technologies that keep industrial facilities running. For more than a decade, she served as Senior Content Strategist for Plant Services, creating content for plant managers, engineers, and maintenance professionals on a variety of industrial topics.
During her tenure, Alexis worked to develop the brand’s digital strategy and helped launch and produce Great Question: A Manufacturing Podcast. She also created The Lighter Side of Manufacturing, a weekly blog that explored the inventive and sometimes humorous side of the industry.
Alexis co-founded Influential Women in Manufacturing, a recognition program that honored 49 women in its first two years, earned an industry award for Best Product Launch, and received a proclamation from Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and a commendation from U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth.
She also led newsroom operations and development at a large media company where she set editorial standards, developed training curriculum, and helped support AI adoption for more than 150 editors across 80+ brands spanning manufacturing, industrial processing, automation, and more.
Additionally, Alexis works as a freelance writer and editor, and her areas of interest include continuous improvement, the skilled workforce, and the role of emerging technology on the plant floor.
Connect with Alexis on LinkedIn