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U.S. EPA settles with Modesto equipment manufacturer for $45,150 for toxic chemical reporting violations

Release Date: 09/27/2007
Contact Information: Dean Higuchi, 808-541-2711, higuchi.dean@epa.gov

(09/27/07) SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today settled with a Modesto equipment manufacturer for $45,150 for allegedly failing to submit required toxic chemical reports, a violation of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

Lamar Tool & Die Casting, Inc., located at 4230 Technology Drive in Modesto, Calif., allegedly failed to submit timely, complete, and correct reports detailing the amounts of lead, copper and manganese processed at its facility from 2002-2005.

“Facilities that process chemicals such as lead, copper and manganese must report the use of the chemicals so residents and emergency response personnel know of possible chemical hazards in the community,” said Nathan Lau, Communities and Ecosystems Division associate director for EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “Companies must keep a close watch over chemical reporting practices, as we are serious about enforcing community right-to-know laws.”

Federal rules require facilities processing, manufacturing, or otherwise using more than 100 pounds of lead and more than 25,000 pounds of copper and manganese to report releases of the chemicals on an annual basis to the EPA and the state. Although the company exceeded these thresholds during 2002-2005, it allegedly failed to submit reports to the EPA for any of those years.

Exposure to lead may result in high blood pressure, digestive problems, muscle and joint pain, nerve disorders, memory and concentration problems, increased chance of illness during pregnancy, and harm to a fetus, including brain damage or death. Exposure to low levels of lead can severely harm children under the age of 6.

Copper exposure can potentially cause nausea and vomiting and years of long term exposure could cause liver or kidney damage. Years of long term exposure to manganese can potentially cause nerve disorders.

Each year the EPA compiles information submitted from the previous year regarding toxic chemical releases and produces a national Toxics Release Inventory database for public availability. This database estimates the amounts of each toxic chemical released to the environment, treated or recycled on-site, or transferred off-site for waste management, and also provides a trend analysis of toxic chemical releases.

For more information on the TRI program, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/tri. The U.S. EPA’s environmental databases, including the TRI program data, can be accessed at: https://www.epa.gov/enviro.
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