CLEVELAND — Campbell Soup is facing two lawsuits alleging the company's plant in Northwest Ohio is polluting Lake Erie and the Maumee River. 

What You Need To Know

  • The two lawsuits were brought by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of the Environment Protection Agency, and National Environmental Law Center on behalf of Environment Ohio and Lake Erie Waterkeeper

  • The lawsuits claim the Napolean plant is violating the Clean Water Act by discharging millions of gallons of wastewater into Lake Erie and the Maumee River since 2018

  • The lawsuits state the wastewater included high levels of phosphorous, E. coli, oil and grease

The two lawsuits were brought by the U.S. Department of Justice on behalf of the Environment Protection Agency, and National Environmental Law Center on behalf of Environment Ohio and Lake Erie Waterkeeper.

The lawsuits claim the Napolean plant is violating the Clean Water Act by discharging millions of gallons of wastewater into Lake Erie and the Maumee River since 2018. Court documents state the wastewater included high levels of phosphorous, which can contribute to the toxic algal blooms in the lake each year. 

The lawsuits also state that the company's pollution monitoring reports show that the plant discharges high levels of pollutants into the Maumee River, including phosphorous, E. coli bacteria, oil and grease since 2018. 

“We take this matter seriously. We have taken a number of steps to improve our existing wastewater management operations and will continue to take immediate action to address this issue," Campbell Soup wrote in a statement. "We have capital investments planned to resolve this issue permanently. We will continue to work with regulators and other stakeholders to improve our operations and comply with all environmental regulations.”

One lawsuit is seeking an order to stop the pollution. Both lawsuits are hoping for appropriate civil penalities for the alleged violations of the Clean Water Act. 

The facility sits about 43 miles upstream from Lake Erie, and it's surrounded by campgrounds, water access points and other nature preserves. The lawsuit on behalf of the National Environemntal Law Center said it believes it could be harmful to the surrounding environment, as well as residents.

"Plaintiffs Environment Ohio and Lake Erie Waterkeeper have members who live, own homes, or recreate in, on, or near the Maumee River downstream of the Facility, as well as in, on, or near the shores of western Lake Erie," the lawsuit states. "Plaintiffs’ members consider the Maumee River and Lake Erie to be important resources and aesthetically significant fixtures of the area in which they live, and they want them to be as clean, healthy, and vibrant as possible."