A Northfield manufacturing facility paid $15,578 for air permit violations, according to the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA). An MPCA investigation in 2025 found that Sheldahl Flexible Technologies submitted incorrect permit applications and failed to obtain MPCA approval prior to installing or modifying three pieces of industrial mixing equipment.
Making changes to equipment without updating a permit can increase the risk of releasing air pollutants.
Sheldahl Flexible Technologies took the following corrective actions:
- submitted a plan to update and maintain the facility's equipment inventory
- submitted a full equipment inventory listing all installations and modifications
- provided a plan to submit permit amendments prior to modifying equipment
The MPCA remains committed to protecting human health and the environment by enforcing rules and regulations and limiting pollution emissions and discharges from facilities. When companies do not fully comply with regulatory requirements, the resulting pollution can be harmful to people and the environment.
When calculating penalties, the MPCA considers 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.