Fine levied against slaughterhouse targeted by Denver Initiated Ordinance 309 is part of a long history of environmental, labor, religious law, and animal welfare violations.
September 25, 2024, Denver, CO – The EPA today announced a $120,000 fine against Superior Farms’ lamb slaughterhouse in Denver (DBA Mountain Meadows Lamb Corp) for “violations of toxic chemical-related regulations at the North Denver meat processing facility.”
According to the agency, “An EPA inspection revealed several CAA violations related to the company’s management of anhydrous ammonia, a chemical used as a refrigerant that can be hazardous to human health if not managed properly.” In addition to the fine for $119,200, as part of the settlement Superior Farms will be required to spend $250,000 on facility improvements to prevent leakages. The agency says “Deficiencies found by EPA’s inspection included failure to identify hazards using appropriate hazard assessment techniques, failure to design and maintain a safe facility to prevent releases and failure to minimize the consequences of accidental releases.”
Ammonia leaks are a serious industrial hazard that can cause serious respiratory issues, skin and eye damage, and even lung damage. Even a small leak can be highly poisonous, and based on the EPA’s description, the Globeville community has likely already been exposed. In large amounts, ammonia can contaminate water sources and pose an explosion risk.
This slaughterhouse has been at the center of attention due to Denver Initiated Ordinance 309, a citizen initiative which seeks to ban industrial slaughterhouses in the City of Denver. Superior Farms’ north Denver facility is the only extant facility that would be closed down by the ballot measure, which would also prevent industrial slaughterhouses from opening in Denver in the future. Proponents say 309 is intended to spark a transition away from factory farming.
“This fine is just the latest proof that Superior Farms cannot be trusted as a responsible steward of the environment,” said Olivia Hammond, a spokeswoman for Pro-Animal Denver, the committee supporting Initiative 309. “Superior Farms has a years-long record of recklessly violating federal laws, endangering the surrounding community and harming workers and animals.”
Superior Farms has a long, troubled record with law enforcement. The company has been sued by the federal government for routinely failing to stun lambs before slaughter. Employees in Denver sued in 2021 alleging racial and religious discrimination after muslim workers were repeatedly subject to racial slurs from coworkers and managers, then fired for refusing to fraudulently certify meat as halal. The Denver plant has been fined $91,811 for labor violations in the last decade, and the EPA says it has been continuously violating the Clean Water Act for over 4 years. But today’s fine is the largest yet.
“Today’s announcement from the EPA proves yet again that Superior Farms has been poisoning the surrounding community for years,” said Aidan Kankyoku, the coordinator of the campaign supporting Initiative 309. “This is a classic case of environmental racism. This kind of behavior would never be tolerated in Cherry Creek, but in the majority Latino neighborhood of Globeville, it’s just par for the course. Ultimately, this fine is a slap on the wrist, leaving it in the hands of Denver voters to create accountability by voting Yes on 309 in November.”