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Oregon Door Company settles for violations of federal air laws and reporting regulations

Release Date: 01/08/2014
Contact Information: Hanady Kader, EPA Public Affairs, 206-553-0454, kader.hanady@epa.gov

(Seattle—Jan. 8, 2014) Oregon Door Company, based in Dillard, Oregon, settled violations of federal air laws and reporting regulations, according to a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Justice. The violations were associated with the company’s emissions and reporting of toluene, a solvent for paints and stains. Toluene is a hazardous air pollutant and its release is regulated under the Clean Air Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act.

“Companies that use chemicals have to abide by emissions limits and report chemical usage,” said Scott Downey, manager of the Air Compliance Unit at the EPA Seattle office. “Permit limits control what we’re putting in our air, and reporting chemicals is crucial to having accurate numbers about chemical usage across the country.”

An EPA investigation found that between 2005 and 2009, the company repeatedly exceeded emissions of toluene as allowed by state and federal air regulations. The company emitted more than 18,000 lbs of toluene per year, exceeding the limit set by its air contaminant discharge permit. As a major source of hazardous air pollutants, the company was also required to obtain a Clean Air Act Title V permit, which it did not have.

In addition, the company failed to report its 2007 toluene emissions to the Toxics Release Inventory.

Toluene has known health impacts on the human nervous system, kidneys, liver, and heart.

The company took steps to correct the violations and paid a $50,000 fine.

For more information on the Clean Air Act and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act, visit:

https://www.epa.gov/air/caa/

https://www.epa.gov/oem/content/epcra/