CJ Bio America recently entered into a Consent Order with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in regards to a 2025 incident resulting in release and fish kill incident.
On April 14, 2025 Iowa DNR field office received a phone call from Tony Sanders, Environmental Supervisor and CJ Bio America Inc, reporting a release had occurred from the fermentation byproduct containment system at the facility. Sanders estimated 5,000 gallons of product had flowed over the soil containment berm due to a bladder that had accidentally overfilled due to a valve that was in the wrong position. Mr. Sanders said that most of the product had been contained in the storm water channel that runs along the east side of the facility; however, 100-200 gallons had escaped to the adjoining crop field on the east side of the facility.
That same day, DNR Environmental Specialist Dan Bratrud was notified of yellowish discolored water in the South Branch of Lizard Creek. Mr. Bratrud later received a call from Mr. Sanders, who stated that more material had escaped from the containment area than he had originally thought, and that some of it had made it to the field tile surface intakes.
Responding DNR officials reported that that the entire channel of the South Branch of Lizard Creek was discolored at the Hayes Avenue Bridge, nearly 4 stream miles South of the facility. It was estimated that over 70,000 fish were killed in the April 2025 incident.
As a result of the order, CJ Bio agreed to the following:
– Install and maintain monitors that notify a CJ Bio representative when the product in the facility’s storage bladders exceeds a certain level.
– Update their Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan to include monthly inspections of the storm water channel berm, and shall document the inspections and keep records of the inspections.
– Continue to coordinate with the owner of the field tile at the south end of the property for the installation of a gate valve in the field tile.
– Pay an administrative penalty of $7,500.00 within 45 days.
– Pay restitution for fish loss in the amount of $73,819.10, and investigative costs in the amount of $9,100.56, within 45 days.
CJ Bio may pay the administrative penalty and the investigative costs via supplemental environmental projects in connection with and with the approval of Webster County Conservation. CJ Bio shall submit to the Department a copy of a check, bank statement, or similar receipt showing that the required amount was paid by CJ Bio to Webster County Conservation.
The Order was entered into by consent of the parties, and there is no right of appeal. The order was signed by Inseok Hwang, CEO of CJ Bio America on 5/27/2026, and Kayla Lyon, Director Iowa DNR on 6/4/2026.
