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Three Minnesota companies agree to EPA orders to comply with federal rules to protect stratospheric ozone

Release Date: 11/02/2009
Contact Information: William Omohundro, 312-353-8254, omohundro.william@epa.gov

For Immediate Release
No. 09-OPA205

(Chicago – Nov. 2, 2009)U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has issued administrative consent orders to three Minnesota scrap metal recycling companies – Leroy Iron and Metal Division of Behr Iron, Alter Trading Corp. and Timm’s Auto Salvage.

The companies agreed to comply with EPA regulations designed to protect the stratospheric ozone layer at their scrap metal recycling facilities. The Leroy plant is at 2275 Dale Ave., Leroy; the Alter plant is at 801 Barge Channel Road, St. Paul; and the Timm’s plant is at 936 W. 12th St., St. Charles.

The companies have agreed, among other things, to recover ozone-depleting refrigerants from each appliance and motor vehicle air conditioner that they accept or to verify that the refrigerants have been recovered according to EPA regulations. The companies will keep logs of the details of refrigerant recovery.

Chlorofluorocarbon refrigerants and certain substitute refrigerants deplete the stratospheric, or “good,” ozone layer allowing dangerous amounts of cancer-causing ultraviolet rays from the sun to strike the earth. Production of some of these chemicals was stopped in 1995, and federal law strictly controls their use and handling.

Information about EPA Region 5’s air enforcement program is at https://www.epa.gov/region5/air/enforce/index.html. Potential environmental violations may be reported at https://www.epa.gov/compliance/complaints.