Tri-Cities company fined $25,500 for air quality violations — its 3rd fine in 3 years

A Pasco fertilizer producer has been fined $25,500 for making 650 tons of ammonium phosphate liquid fertilizer with a mobile reactor without a Washington state air quality permit.

“Pacific Northwest Solutions (PNS) has a long non-compliance history with Ecology,” the Washington state Department of Ecology said in its notice of penalty.

The company has not met all proposed or permitted emission limits at one time since 1998, it said.

The company was previously fined $5,000 in 2019 and again in 2020, both times for failing to properly test its equipment to ensure it met air quality emissions standards.

Fertilizer production can release ammonia and fluoride, both toxic gases that can be dangerous to people, according to the Department of Ecology.

On March 7-9 Pacific Northwest Solutions produced 650 tons of liquid fertilizer with a reactor at Nutrien Ag Solutions in Moses Lake.

Pacific Northwest Solutions had been notified by Ecology that tests in January 2021 showed the reactor used did not pass and could not meet proposed permit limits or comply with state and federal regulations, according to the notice of penalty.

At the time Ecology was working toward rescinding a permit for a different Pacific Northwest Solutions reactor that could not meet standards, according to the notice of penalty.

“Protecting air quality is not optional for businesses in our state — it’s the law,” said David Knight, air quality manager for Ecology in Eastern Washington. “We hope Pacific Northwest Solutions takes this penalty seriously and brings its operations into compliance.”

The company could not be reached by phone for comment. It has 30 days to appeal the fine to the Washington Pollution Control Hearings Board.