Lafayette dry cleaner fined for discharges

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) - The owner of a Lafayette dry cleaning business has been ordered to perform 100 hours of community service, serve one-year probation and pay a $1,000 fine because employees flushed hazardous chemicals down the toilet at the business.

Jason Prejean, owner of One Low Price Cleaners, pleaded guilty in July to the negligent discharge of pollutants for failure to ensure the spent dry cleaning chemicals were disposed of properly.

On Monday, U.S. District Judge Richard Haik also ordered that the company pay a $2,500 fine.

The case began in May 2009 when the Lafayette Fire Department responded to a nearby business reporting a strong chemical odor.