Formosa Plastics to Pay $50M for Pollution

The plant allegedly spilled tons of pellets into waterways near the Gulf of Mexico.

Plaintiff Dale Jurasek with samples of the plastic pellets that Formosa Plastic discharges.
Plaintiff Dale Jurasek with samples of the plastic pellets that Formosa Plastic discharges.
Texas RioGrande Legal Aid (TRLA)

POINT COMFORT, Texas (AP) — Formosa Plastics Corp. has agreed to pay $50 million to settle allegations that a company plant in Texas spilled tons of pellets into waterways near the Gulf of Mexico.

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid on Tuesday announced the agreement involving the Formosa plant in Point Comfort. A judge in Houston will consider approving the settlement, to be paid over five years into a fund supporting environmental water projects.

U.S. District Judge Kenneth Hoyt in June ruled in favor of people who alleged the Formosa plant violated clean water laws through discharges into Lavaca Bay and Cox Creek that began in 2016.

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid, representing plaintiffs, said the consent decree means Formosa agrees to "zero discharge" of plastics and will clean existing pollution.

A message left for Formosa wasn't immediately returned Tuesday.

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