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American Laboratories Incorporated of Omaha, Neb., Agrees to Settlement of Alleged Violations of Federal Clean Air Act

Release Date: 06/16/2009
Contact Information: Chris Whitley, 913-551-7394, whitley.christopher@epa.gov

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Environmental News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Kansas City, Kan., June 16, 2009) - An Omaha, Neb., company that processes animal byproduct materials into pharmaceutical products and dietary supplements has agreed to pay $440,000 in civil penalties, has certified that it no longer uses hazardous air pollutants in the production of its pharmaceutical products, and has already installed new pollution-reducing process controls at one of its two Omaha facilities, all as parts of a legal settlement with EPA Region 7 and the City of Omaha.

American Laboratories Incorporated (ALI) is spending approximately $180,710 to install the new pollution controls at its East Facility, located at 5036 South 33rd Street, in Omaha. The controls are expected to reduce ALI's emissions of isopropyl alcohol from the facility by 56 tons per year. The facility produces pancreatin, an enzyme supplement.

According to a federal consent decree lodged by EPA Region 7 and the City of Omaha, since 1999, ALI has allegedly violated provisions of the federal Clean Air Act, Nebraska's State Implementation Plan, and related provisions of Omaha's Municipal Code, which regulate hazardous air pollutants.

ALI, which admits no liability to the United States in the consent decree, also operates a West Facility at 4410 South 102nd Street in Omaha. According to the consent decree, ALI has obtained a proper operating permit from the City of Omaha for that facility.

The pollution controls installed by ALI at its East Facility will enable the company to capture and recycle isopropyl alcohol emissions that had been released at four stages of its production process, at a cost savings of $73,398 per year. While improving the air quality in Omaha, the controls are expected to pay for themselves in less than three years.

In addition to paying $440,000 in civil penalties to the United States and the City of Omaha, ALI has agreed to an air monitoring program that will require the company to submit monthly reports of air emissions to EPA and the City of Omaha.

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