BALTIMORE, MD—Fleischmann’s Vinegar Company has agreed to a $1.1 million settlement for unauthorized discharges of pollution from its Baltimore facility, according to a press release from the Maryland Department of the Environment.

The settlement will require the company to conduct regular water quality testing in the Jones Falls, investigate the source of the discharges, and take steps to correct the problem, including possibly demolishing the facility.

“Our rivers and waterways must be protected. Our office will not allow companies to put our delicate environment in jeopardy,” said Attorney General Anthony G. Brown. “These terms will help keep our waterways clean and monitor the Jones Falls so it is not contaminated with harmful pollutants.”

The state began investigating the facility after Blue Water Baltimore reported a fish kill and water quality issues in the Jones Falls in September 2021, the release said. The Maryland Department of the Environment filed a complaint in Circuit Court in April 2023 to stop the unauthorized discharges of pollution.

Fleischmann’s Vinegar closed the facility in January 2024 and removed all of the stored vinegar, production equipment, and materials, the release said.

The consent decree also lists Blue Water Baltimore, the Chesapeake Legal Alliance, and Kerry Holding Co. as defendants.

“We appreciate the fact that this company has been a part of Baltimore’s fabric for generations, but pollution from the now-closed facility harms the ecosystem in one of the city’s major waterways,” said Secretary Serena McIlwain of the Maryland Department of the Environment. “We are grateful for the partnership with Blue Water Baltimore and Chesapeake Legal Alliance to advance the goal of clean water for everyone.”

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

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