Search

Sulfur Dioxide Release Leads to $106,000 in EPA Fines

Posted on 10/4/2016 by Roger Marks

US EPA reported this week that a Carson, California facility that produces sulfuric acid for refineries will pay a $106,000 civil penalty following a release of sulfur dioxide that hospitalized eleven people working at neighboring sites.

According to EPA, the company released 65,049 pounds of sulfur dioxide over a five-hour period in 2013. The facility:
  • Failed to stop operations when alarms sounded;
  • Did not properly train employees to respond to the alarm;
  • Failed to conduct a pre-startup safety routine; and
  • Did not report the release to appropriate authorities quickly enough.
The first three bullet points above are violations of the Clean Air Act, while the failure to report is a violation of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). 

Releases to the atmosphere are regulated by the Clean Air Act
EPCRA requires facilities to immediately report the release of a hazardous substance or extremely hazardous substance when the amount released exceeds the substance’s reportable quantity if the release can expose people outside the facility boundary to the hazardous chemical. [49 CFR 355, Appendix A]

Because employees at neighboring facilities were affected by chemical exposure due to this release—some complained of respiratory pain and eye irritation—the facility should have reported the release immediately. 

For more about reporting requirements for chemical releases, read Release Reporting Requirements—EPCRA vs. CERCLA.

Environmental Training for California EHS Pros

When you manage environmental compliance in California, you deal with a complex web of State, Federal, and local requirements.  When the nationally trusted Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop comes to San Jose and Los Angeles, the training will cover EHS issues unique to California—California Air Resource Boards and ambient air quality standards, California water standards, Hazardous Materials Business Plans (HMPB), Prop 65, and key basics of California’s unique Title 22 hazardous waste management rules.

Sign up now! The workshop comes to San Jose on October 31–November 1 and Los Angeles on November 3-4.

Don't work in California? The Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop is presented nationwide and covers your responsibilities under major EPA programs like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, EPCRA, TSCA, FIFRA, CERCLA/Superfund, and more. Learn what you need to know to identify the rules that apply to your site, ask the right questions on the job, and keep your facility in compliance with EPA rules. See the full schedule for the rest of 2016 here.

Tags: EPCRA, release reporting

Find a Post

Compliance Archives

Lion - Quotes

The instructor was great, explaining complex topics in terms that were easily understandable and answering questions clearly and thoroughly.

Brittany Holm

Lab Supervisor

I have over 26 years of environmental compliance experience, and it has been some time since I have attended an environmental regulations workshop. I attended this course as preparation for EHS Audits for my six plants, and it was exactly what I was looking for.

Frank Sizemore

Director of Regulatory Affairs

The instructor was very very informative, helpful, understandable and pleasant. This course answered many questions I had, being new to this industry.

Frances Mona

Shipping Manager

Lion provided an excellent introduction to environmental regulations, making the transition to a new career as an EHS specialist less daunting of a task. Drinking from a fire hose when the flow of water is lessened, is much more enjoyable!

Stephanie Weathers

SHE Specialist

The instructor was energetic and made learning fun compared to dry instructors from other training providers.

Andy D’Amato

International Trade Compliance Manager

We have a very busy work schedule and using Lion enables us to take the course at our own time. It makes it easy for me to schedule my employees' training.

Timothy Mertes

Hazmat Shipping Professional

I had a positive experience utilizing this educational program. It was very informative, convenient, and rewarding from a career perspective.

John Gratacos

Logistics Manager

These are the best commercial course references I have seen (10+ years). Great job!

Ed Grzybowski

EHS & Facility Engineer

I can take what I learned in this workshop and apply it to everyday work and relate it to my activities.

Shane Hersh

Materials Handler

The instructor had knowledge of regulations and understanding of real-world situations. The presentation style was engaging and fostered a positive atmosphere for information sharing.

Linda Arlen

Safety & Environmental Compliance Officer

Download Our Latest Whitepaper

Explore ten hazardous waste management errors that caused generators in California the most trouble last year.

Latest Whitepaper

By submitting your phone number, you agree to receive recurring marketing and training text messages. Consent to receive text messages is not required for any purchases. Text STOP at any time to cancel. Message and data rates may apply. View our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.