Campbell's Soup Co. admits to dumping waste into an Ohio river, violating law 5,400 times
'Campbell’s admission that it committed these violations will speed this case toward a trial.'
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Campbell's Soup Co. admits to dumping waste into an Ohio river, violating law 5,400 times
by WKRC
Tue, September 16th 2025 at 3:23 AM
Updated Tue, September 16th 2025 at 9:55 AM
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- TOPICS:
Campbell Soup CompanyOhio riverClean Water ActPollutionToxic algaeMaumee RiverWastewaterCivil penalty
TOLEDO, Ohio (WKRC) - The Campbell Soup Supply Company admitted to dumping waste into an Ohio river and violating the law thousands of times.
According to WANE, Campbell Soup Supply Company admitted to violating the Clean Water Act thousands of times in response a joint lawsuit filed in March of 2024 by the following agencies:
- The United States Environmental Protection Agency
- Lake Erie Waterkeeper
- Environment Ohio
The report states that Campbell's admitted to violating the Clean Water Act at least 5,400 times between April 2018 and December 2024, with the incidents occurring at the canning factory located in Napoleon, Ohio.
“Campbell’s admission that it committed these violations will speed this case toward a trial that will decide what steps the company must take to curb its pollution and how large a civil penalty should be imposed. That’s great news for the people who live along the Maumee River and Lake Erie, who want prompt action on reducing sources of the toxic algae in their local waters,” said John Rumpler, Clean Water Program Director for Environment Ohio. “We appreciate Campbell’s willingness to work cooperatively with us and the federal government to solve its compliance problems, rather than spending time and effort contesting clear-cut violations of the Clean Water Act.”
According to WTOL, the wastewater was dumped into the Maumee River, which connects to Lake Erie. The wastewater contained the following pollutants, per the report:
- E. coli bacteria
- Oil
- Grease
- Suspended solids
- Other unnamed pollutants
The lawsuit claimed that the discharges were fueling toxic algae blooms in Lake Erie, which can threaten drinking water supplies and harm wildlife.
“Campbell’s admission that it committed these violations will speed this case toward a trial that will decide what steps the company must take to curb its pollution and how large a civil penalty should be imposed,” John Rumpler, Clean Water Program director for Environment Ohio, said when speaking with WTOL. “That’s great news for the people who live along the Maumee River and Lake Erie.”
Sandy Bihn, the Lake Erie Waterkeeper, told reporters with WTOL that it could be a turning point in the efforts to restore the watershed.
“Bringing an end to Campbell’s violations will help water quality in the river and Lake Erie, and demonstrates the power citizen enforcement suits have to drive meaningful environmental progress,” Bihn said when speaking with the outlet.
According to WTOL, a joint stipulation to the liability requires the company to agree not to assert any defense to liability for the violation, and admit that citizen groups were harmed. This allows those citizen groups to sue for enforcement of the Clean Water Act alongside the government, per the station's report.
The next step will be determining a penalty that will require the reduction of waste emissions, as well as what will be paid to penalize the Campbell Soup Supply Company for the years of dumping in the Maumee River.
Officials told WTOL that they believe the company will go to trial sometime next year.
The Campbell Company issued the following statement to WTOL on Monday:
"We have taken a number of steps to improve our operations and comply with environmental regulations. We have been part of the Napoleon community since 1938 and our goal is to reach a settlement that serves the interest of the environment and the community where our employees live and work. Importantly, the facility has had minimal, if any, adverse effects on the Maumee River or Lake Erie."
