July 2, 2007

Renewed permit allows Smithfield to slaughter more hogs
 

Smithfield -- the world's biggest slaughtering plant -- has gotten the green light to slaughter more hogs through its renewed state permit.

The state Division of Water Quality on Thursday (June 29) renewed the water usage and discharge permit for Smithfield Packing Co.'s processing plant in Bladen County. The new permit allows the plant to slaughter 9.5 million hogs yearly, up slightly from the current 8.5 million. 

The permit also restricts the company's water usage and the amount of pollution it can put into the Cape Fear River.

However, Smithfield can't increase production until it installs equipment to lessen the amount of nitrogen in the water it discharges into the river. The plant is allowed to discharge a maximum of 3 million gallons of water per day into the river.

The permit takes effect July 15 and ends in October 2011.