EPA Enforcement Roundup: Week of 6/24
Every day, facilities across the US 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 (TSCA, EPCRA, CERCLA, etc.), hazardous waste management and disposal standards (RCRA), and much more.
Below are examples of recent EPA enforcement actions that provide insight into how and why EPA issues civil penalties to facilities for environmental noncompliance. Names of companies and individuals cited by EPA are withheld to protect their privacy.
WHO: A plastic bag manufacturing facility
WHERE: West Hazleton, PA
WHAT: RCRA hazardous waste management violations
HOW MUCH: $78,000
A company that manufactures plastic bags has been fined for alleged violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). As part of the settlement, the company will pay $78,000 and maintain compliance with RCRA requirements.
EPA listed multiple alleged violations in its citation, including failure to maintain adequate aisle space for hazardous waste containers, perform and record daily inspections of hazardous waste tanks, provide secondary containment for hazardous waste tanks, and provide an adequate hazardous waste management training program among others.
Strengthen your RCRA expertise and learn what you need to know to keep hazardous waste in compliance from cradle to grave. The RCRA Hazardous Waste Management Workshop comes to Charlotte, Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, and other cities in July.
Can't join us live? Check out the RCRA online course or RCRA Refresher online course.
WHO: An industrial oil refinery
WHERE: Sinclair, WY
WHAT: Clean Air Act violations
HOW MUCH: $1.6 million and approximately $20 million in pollution control installations
EPA and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality have reached a settlement with a crude oil processing facility to resolve alleged violations of air emissions limits and monitoring requirements, including alleged violations of a similar 2008 settlement. EPA alleges these violations include exceeding sulfur dioxide limits at the flares and the sulfur recovery plant’s tail gas units and failing to operate, maintain, and certify continuous emissions monitors (CEMs) as required.
The oil refinery has agreed to pay $1.6 million in penalties and install roughly $20 million in pollution controls to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions and upgrade its flare gas recovery system.
WHO: An electroplating company
WHERE: New Bedford, MA
WHAT: RCRA hazardous waste management violations
HOW MUCH: $30,000
A company that applies metal coatings to hardware will pay a $30,000 penalty to settle 14 alleged violations of RCRA regulations, according to EPA. These alleged violations include failure to properly store and label hazardous waste, prepare a training plan and conduct required training, maintain an up-to-date contingency plan, and post required signs among others.
When issuing the penalty, EPA cited the company’s limited ability to pay, but stressed that these violations could have resulted in releases of hazardous wastes to the environment.
Check out the latest EPA compliance training options here:
Clean Air Act Regulations Online
TSCA Regulations Online
New! Clean Water Act & SDWA Regulations Online
Just Launched! Superfund and Right-to-Know Act Regulations Online
Check out the 2019 nationwide schedule for the Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop. Collaborate with other managers to identify the requirements that apply to your facility, ask the right questions, and make the right decisions about EPA compliance.
Below are examples of recent EPA enforcement actions that provide insight into how and why EPA issues civil penalties to facilities for environmental noncompliance. Names of companies and individuals cited by EPA are withheld to protect their privacy.
WHO: A plastic bag manufacturing facility
WHERE: West Hazleton, PA
WHAT: RCRA hazardous waste management violations
HOW MUCH: $78,000
A company that manufactures plastic bags has been fined for alleged violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). As part of the settlement, the company will pay $78,000 and maintain compliance with RCRA requirements.
EPA listed multiple alleged violations in its citation, including failure to maintain adequate aisle space for hazardous waste containers, perform and record daily inspections of hazardous waste tanks, provide secondary containment for hazardous waste tanks, and provide an adequate hazardous waste management training program among others.
Strengthen your RCRA expertise and learn what you need to know to keep hazardous waste in compliance from cradle to grave. The RCRA Hazardous Waste Management Workshop comes to Charlotte, Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, and other cities in July.
Can't join us live? Check out the RCRA online course or RCRA Refresher online course.
WHO: An industrial oil refinery
WHERE: Sinclair, WY
WHAT: Clean Air Act violations
HOW MUCH: $1.6 million and approximately $20 million in pollution control installations
EPA and the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality have reached a settlement with a crude oil processing facility to resolve alleged violations of air emissions limits and monitoring requirements, including alleged violations of a similar 2008 settlement. EPA alleges these violations include exceeding sulfur dioxide limits at the flares and the sulfur recovery plant’s tail gas units and failing to operate, maintain, and certify continuous emissions monitors (CEMs) as required.
The oil refinery has agreed to pay $1.6 million in penalties and install roughly $20 million in pollution controls to reduce sulfur dioxide emissions and upgrade its flare gas recovery system.
WHO: An electroplating company
WHERE: New Bedford, MA
WHAT: RCRA hazardous waste management violations
HOW MUCH: $30,000
A company that applies metal coatings to hardware will pay a $30,000 penalty to settle 14 alleged violations of RCRA regulations, according to EPA. These alleged violations include failure to properly store and label hazardous waste, prepare a training plan and conduct required training, maintain an up-to-date contingency plan, and post required signs among others.
When issuing the penalty, EPA cited the company’s limited ability to pay, but stressed that these violations could have resulted in releases of hazardous wastes to the environment.
Convenient, Effective Online EHS Manager Training
Managing site compliance with the many complex EPA programs that affect your business—from the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts to TSCA, EPCRA, CERLCA, and more—is a major challenge. If you’re new to the field, or need an update on changing EPA rules, online training is a convenient way to quickly build in-depth expertise.Check out the latest EPA compliance training options here:
Clean Air Act Regulations Online
TSCA Regulations Online
New! Clean Water Act & SDWA Regulations Online
Just Launched! Superfund and Right-to-Know Act Regulations Online
Check out the 2019 nationwide schedule for the Complete Environmental Regulations Workshop. Collaborate with other managers to identify the requirements that apply to your facility, ask the right questions, and make the right decisions about EPA compliance.
Tags: Clean Air Act, enforcement, EPA, EPA Enforcement Roundup, fines, hazardous waste, penalties, RCRA
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