NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. (WIVB) — A Niagara Falls cardboard manufacturing facility has been fined $375,000 and ordered to make changes after violating air and water quality laws.

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) says Cascades Containerboard Packaging committed the following violations:

• emitting noxious odors to the surrounding neighborhood
• failing to properly operate and maintain the anaerobic digester and two activated sludge reactors
• operating unpermitted air pollution emissions sources within the facility’s wastewater treatment plant and sludge processing and handling systems
• failing to report equipment malfunctions
• releasing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) emissions that exceeded the allowable ambient H2S concentrations off-site

As part of a consent order, Cascades must monitor their emissions and conduct comprehensive air sampling. Additionally, improvements such as replacing temporary covers on sludge reactors with permanent ones must take place.

Another part of the consent order requires that they maintain a 24-hour odor complaint hotline (1-833-461-8898) and email for public use (niagara@cascades.com).

If Cascades doesn’t comply with this order, they could face additional penalties.