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EPA fines Phoenix paint company $12,375 for toxic chemical release reporting violations

Release Date: 5/6/2004
Contact Information: Wendy L. Chavez, (415) 947-4248

SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently fined a South Phoenix paint manufacturer $12,375 for failing to report the amount of a toxic chemical released from its facility, a violation of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

Griggs Paint, located at 3625 S. 16th St., failed to submit timely, complete, and correct reports based on the amount of ethylene glycol processed at its facility from 1998 through 2000. The facility uses ethylene glycol in connection with its paint manufacturing operations. Exposure to large amounts of ethylene glycol can damage the kidneys, heart, and nervous system.

EPA inspectors discovered the violations during a routine inspection in 2001.

"Facilities that use, store and release toxic chemicals owe it to the neighboring community to report their chemical releases and transfers," said Enrique Manzanilla, the EPA's Cross Media Division director for the Pacific Southwest region. "This penalty should remind others that we are maintaining a close watch over chemical reporting practices and are serious about enforcing community right-to-know laws, with additional focus in low-income and minority neighborhoods with numerous facilities."

Federal law requires certain facilities using chemicals over certain amounts to file annual reports of chemical releases with the EPA and the state. The reports estimate the amounts of each toxic chemical released to the environment, treated or recycled on-site, or transferred off-site for waste management. Information is then compiled into a national database and made available to the public.

Each year the EPA publishes a report entitled the Toxic Release Inventory Public Data Release, which summarizes the prior year's submissions and provides detailed trend analysis of toxic chemical releases.

For more information on the program, call (800) 424-9346 or visit: https://www.epa.gov/tri. The EPA's environmental databases, including the Toxic Release Inventory data, can be accessed at: https://www.epa.gov/enviro.