he Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control has issued a temporary emergency variance for air quality to allow for the construction and operation of a rental boiler at Perdue Foods, LLC’s Milford poultry processing facility until a temporary permit can be issued following a public notice to appear on Sunday, Sept. 3.
On Aug. 27, plant managers at Perdue Milford – which processes approximately 240,000 chickens daily – discovered a critical failure in one of their permitted boilers. The boiler remains out of operation.
The DNREC Division of Air Quality expects to issue a temporary air permit for the rental boiler early next week. The permit will allow the rental boiler to operate for up to 90 days.
The variance incorporates requirements for Perdue Foods, LLC to develop a boiler maintenance plan for the Milford poultry processing plant, including a plan for long-term facility maintenance, and requires the facility to solidify a commitment to continuous compliance with Delaware’s environmental regulations, a release stated.
