Minnesota biomass plant falls ‘fowl’ to air laws

A biomass plant in Minnesota has vowed to stop using treated wood as part of its feedstock following a fine from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Fibrominn, a company that burns turkey and wood waste to produce electricity, will have to shell out $14,000 (€11,000) for violating the conditions of its air permit.

Although accounting for less than 1% of its total fuel burned between March 2008 and November 2011, it used nearly 22,500 tonnes of treated wood like oriented strand board and plywood.

 The company has vowed to sort out the problems but it is the second time Fibrominn has fallen foul of air pollution laws when it paid out $65,000 in 2009 due to excessive levels of sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxide in its output.