News Releases from Region 09
U.S. EPA settles with two California companies for failure to provide required toxic chemical notifications
LOS ANGELES—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has settled with two California companies for failing to provide required notifications for the handling of toxic chemicals. IPS Corporation, located in Compton, Calif., will pay a $87,000 penalty. Chevron Richmond Technology Center, located in Richmond, Calif., will pay a $11,011 penalty.
Chevron Energy Technology Company, which owns and operates a site in Richmond, Calif., develops and manages technology in the oil and gas industry. Between 2013 and 2014, Chevron manufactured and processed chemical substances as part of its research and development. Health risks for chemicals used for research and development are not fully known; therefore, the chemicals cannot be distributed to consumers for commercial purposes. EPA found the company distributed chemical substances to third parties on three separate occasions without providing required written notification that use of the chemical substances was restricted to research and development purposes.
IPS Corporation, located in Compton, Calif., is a manufacturer of structural adhesives and other supplies for construction, industrial and manufacturing applications. IPS manufactures products that contain trichloroethylene (TCE), a known human carcinogen. Between 2015 and 2016, the company exported the TCE-containing products to 11 foreign countries without submitting timely export notices to EPA. These notices are required by law so EPA can provide information about exported chemicals to importing governments.
The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) requires reporting, notification, record-keeping and testing, and restricts the production, importation, exportation, use, and disposal of some chemical substances and/or mixtures. Certain substances regulated by other laws, including food, drugs, cosmetics and pesticides, are generally excluded from TSCA requirements.
For more information on TSCA, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-toxic-substances-control-act
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