KWCH - Kansas News and Weather - EPA Investigates Wichita Dog Treat Company
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TreatCo's Wichita Plant(WICHITA, Kan.)
Update 4/23/09
New information about what may have led to a federal investigation at a Wichita dog treat plant. Federal agents served a search warrant at TreatCo one week ago. The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating whether the plant violated environmental laws.
Eyewitness News obtained compliance and licensing records from the City of Wichita and its dealings with TreatCo. According to the reports, the city has issued TreatCo 30 separate violations dating back to 2001. The majority of the violations are for breaking the Clean Water Act.
Besides making dog snacks, TreatCo had a city permit to be a centralized waste treatment facility for other companies. A pipeline connects the plant to the city's sewer system. But over the years, the city discovered TreatCo was processing wastewater for additional companies and putting it into the sewer.
In 2007, testing found abnormal "floating solids" and a "bright yellow substance" at a Wichita sewage treatment plant. Officials traced it back to TreatCo.
City documents also show TreatCo owner Margie Thomas and plant manager Ken Thomas refused to allow city inspectors into the facility at least twice.
In 2007, after years of violations and reports, TreatCo and the city reached a consent agreement. TreatCo signed it yet still disputed the allegations. The agreement states the company decided to enter into the agreement to save the time and cost of litigating the matter in court. The agreement says TreatCo will pay nearly $13,000 in fines and will stop processing any outside wastewater. In other words, the only substance it could send to the city's sewer plant is what is left from making dog treats.
On the day the EPA warrant was served, Eyewitness News noticed a truck from a Clay Center, Kansas, company pulling into TreatCo. When we contacted that company, the owner said federal investigators told him not to comment. The EPA says this remains an open investigation. Details of the investigation have been filed in federal court but remain under seal at this time.
The north branch of the Chisholm Creek runs near the plant. A former Wichita official tells us the city had problems with TreatCo because it wouldn't allow workers on its property to inspect the creek. At this time, the EPA won't say whether the creek has anything to do with the investigation.
TreatCo is not the only company located inside the 750,000 square foot building. It also houses a bio-diesel plant, a worm farm and a Spanish language newspaper.
Neighbors says there's a lot of truck traffic in and out of the plant every day. They wonder if it's related to what the EPA is investigating.
Original Coverage
The Environmental Protection Agency is investigating a Wichita plant that makes dog treats. Federal agents served a search warrant Thursday morning at TreatCo. According to the plant's website, it uses by-products from slaughter houses to make dog treats. It processes over 2 million pounds of products per month. EPA officials say its investigation does not concern the dog treats themselves - only possible environmental violations by the company.
Read the Enforcement & Compliance History Online (ECHO) Report for TreatCo
Map of TreatCo's Wichita Plant
KDHE and the City of Wichita are helping with the investigation. On Thursday, investigators appeared to take samples and inspect the property. EPA officials would not say what they were looking for.
The agency's criminal division is in charge of the investigation. This unit of the EPA often deals with the most serious environmental violations as well as companies which intentionally, willfully or knowingly break the law.
The plant is operated by Ken Thomas, who recently ran for Wichita City Council. He was defeated in the primary.
According to The Associated Press, EPA spokesman Rich Hood said Thursday's operation involved about a dozen people from the EPA's criminal investigative division and EPA technical experts along with agents from the state Health Department and Wichita police.
We do know that no arrests have been made and the investigation is ongoing.
Stay with Eyewitness News and www.kwch.com for more on this developing story.
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