HOUSTON, Aug 3 (Reuters) - BP Plc is working to stopa malfunction at the wastewater treatment plant of its Whiting,Indiana refinery, which allowed greater-than-permitted amountsof industrial waste to go into Lake Michigan since last Friday,a company spokesman said on Wednesday.
"BP has notified the Indiana Department of EnvironmentalManagement (IDEM) that this upset has resulted in exceedances ofBP's daily permit limit for total suspended solids," said BPspokesman Michael Abendhoff. "This is a wastewater issue; therehas been no leak or discharge of any hydrocarbons into LakeMichigan."
The suspended solids are industrial waste particles that aresupposed to be filtered out of wastewater before it is dumpedinto the lake.
The Northwest Indiana Times newspaper reported BP haddischarged a total of 26,621 pounds of industrial wasteparticles, or five times its daily limit, on Tuesday.
IDEM told the newspaper the discharges should not affectdrinking water or marine life. (Reporting by Erwin Seba; Editing by Bill Rigby)