The Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality is investigating a poultry plant for allegations of illegal dumping. According to The Clarion-Ledger, an investigator received a complaint that Water Valley Poultry had buried 40,000 pounds of chicken parts on site, and there were concerns about waste floating into the nearby Otoucalofa Creek.

According to the MDEQ report, Water Valley Poultry Manager James Waits said he decided to bury the waste after a spill on June 4. He said he followed a process he read about in an online manual.

The initial complaint stated Waits said it was his decision to bury the waste on the site and that “this has happened many times before over the years at Water Valley Poultry.”

“Mr. Waits said that the parts were placed in a trench measuring 15 feet in length and 5 feet in depth. The parts were moistened with water and thoroughly covered with lime. The parts were then buried using dirt from the trench,” the report stated.

Source: The Clarion-Ledger