Boston Scientific Fined by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
A medical device company based in Maple Grove was fined more than $11,000 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) for air quality violations.
According to an MPCA enforcement investigation, Boston Scientific Corporation added production equipment on two occasions in 2022 that increased its potential to emit pollutants. However, the company didn’t obtain appropriate air permits prior to installing the equipment.
The second addition resulted in methanol emissions above emission limits in Sept. 2022 at its medical supply production facility in Maple Grove.
MPCA staff confirmed that the company immediately reduced its production until it was able to install a temporary vapor recovery unit in early 2023. Other violations included failing to submit required emission inventory reports for 2021 and 2022.
Boston Scientific’s Maple Grove campus.
In addition to paying the $11,186 civil penalty, Boston Scientific has since obtained the required permit to cover its added equipment. The company has also installed a regenerative thermal oxidizer which reduces hazardous emissions, and submitted the missing emission inventories.
When calculating penalties, the MPCA takes into account how seriously the violations affected or could have affected the environment, and whether they were first-time or repeat violations. The agency also attempts to recover the economic benefit the company gained by failing to comply with environmental laws in a timely manner.
Related: Boston Scientific Breaks Ground on New Maple Grove Campus
