EPA Enforcement Round Up - Week of 10/28

Every day, facilities all across America receive Notices of Violation from US EPA for alleged noncompliance with a wide variety of programs like the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts, chemical management and reporting regulations, hazardous waste management and disposal standards, and much more.

EPA raised its maximum civil penalties in 2016, making it more critical than ever that EHS professionals understand how these complex regulatory programs affect their facilities. We hope providing information about EPA enforcement cases will help you identify and fix noncompliance issues that could leave your company facing down costly penalties and future liability.
 

WHO: A chemical importer 
WHERE: Saddle Brook, NJ  
WHAT:  TSCA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) violations 
HOW MUCH: $143, 000 

According to US EPA, a company that manufactures and distributes ingredients for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics will pay a $143,000 civil penalty for failure to report under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). TSCA Chemical Data Reporting (CDR) is required once every four years from companies that manufacture or import certain hazardous chemicals in large amounts (and certain highly hazardous chemicals even in small amounts). In this case, EPA says, an inspection found that the company had imported 7 chemicals that are subject to TSCA chemical data reporting requirements, but did not report.   

EPA had extended the deadline until October 31 for facilities to submit TSCA CDR reports, which must follow an expanded set of requirements for the first time this year,  

Read about the big changes coming for sites subject to TSCA chemical data reporting now that the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety in the 21st Century Act has been signed into law.  
 

WHO: A fiber products manufacturer
WHERE: Lowell, MA
WHAT: RCRA hazardous waste violations 
HOW MUCH: $150,000 

For violations of US EPA's resource conservation and recovery act (RCRA), including failure to provide RCRA training for hazardous waste personnel, a Massachusetts manufacturer will pay $150,000.

According to a US EPA press release, the company failed to meet US EPA and Massachusetts DEP requirements for safe storage, handling, management, emergency preparedness, and documentation of wastes including methylene chloride, mercury, MEK, acetone, and more.  
 

WHO: A petroleum storage and distribution facility 
WHERE: Seward and Cordova, AK 
WHAT: Self-disclosed Clean Air Act violations 
HOW MUCH: $89,000

An Alaska petroleum distributor paid $89,000 in Clean Air Act civil penalties for failure to adequately control vapors during loading of gasoline into tanks for transport. 

The company self-reported the violations and was able to reduce it's civil penalty through EPA's Self-Audit program. To learn more about how companies can work to reduce penalties for some environmental violations through the Self-Audit program, read: EPA Launches eDisclosure Portal to Help Facilities Self-Report Environmental Violations or The Advantages of EPA’s Self-Audit Policy.  
 

Complete EPA Regulations Workshops – 2017 Schedule Now Available!

Managing site compliance with the many complex EPA programs that affect your business—from the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts to TSCA, FIFRA, EPCRA, and more—is a major challenge. If you’re new to the field, or need an update on changing EPA rules, the Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop will help you identify the requirements that apply to your facility and make decisions that put your team in a position to succeed.
 

Planning for next year? The 2017 schedule is available now and includes a workshop in our new Environmental Training Center in Sparta, NJ! Register to receive a full year of Lion Membership for complete on-the-job compliance support. 

Tags: Act, Air, Clean, EPA, fines and penalties, hazardous waste, TSCA