Helena Chemical Corporation To Pay $225,000 Fine For Environmental Crime

TULSA, Okla.— United States Attorney Danny C. Williams Sr. announced today a guilty plea by Helena Chemical Corporation for unlawfully disposing the restricted pesticide, Medal II AT, at its Welch, Oklahoma, facility in Craig County.

According to the plea agreement, for at least a six-month period beginning in May 2013, Helena Chemical Corporation disposed of unused Medal II AT by discharging the pesticide onto the ground and allowing it to run onto an adjacent property and into the Little Cabin Creek. Medal II AT contains the restricted use chemicals Altrazine and S-Metolachor which are two of the main active ingredients.

If exposed to Altrazine, a person may experience difficulty breathing, weakness, irritation of the eyes, and suffer from liver damage; and a person exposed to S-Metolachor may experience eye, skin and respiratory irritation, dizziness, and nausea.

Under the settlement, Helena Chemical will pay $150,000 in criminal fines and $75,000 toward performing community service to fund environmental projects, initiatives, emergency responses, and/or education dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the environment and waters.

The case was jointly investigated by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture. Assistant United States Attorney Joel-lyn A. McCormick prosecuted the case.