AMERICAN Samoa cannery StarKist Samoa is to make upgrades to reduce pollution and improve safety.

The company and its parent, Starkist Co, have reached a deal with the US Department of Justice and the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Under the agreement, StarKist will pay a $US6.3 million ($F12m) penalty and provide emergency response equipment to the American Samoa Fire Department for use in responding to chemical releases.

The acting assistant Attorney-General Jeffrey Wood of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division called the settlement a significant environmental win for American Samoa.

He said as a result of this action StarKist had already performed a significant amount of work to correct its violations.