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Chemical spill reporting violations: EPA settles Ohio cases

Release Date: 08/24/2007
Contact Information: Karen Thompson 312-353-8547, thompson.karen@epa.gov

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
No. 07-OPA145


(Chicago, Ill. - Aug. 24, 2007) U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 recently settled administrative cases involving hazardous chemical release reporting violations in Alliance, Greenville, Cincinnati and Toledo, Ohio.

"Federal law requires immediate notification to the National Response Center for chemical releases above certain thresholds," said EPA Region 5 Superfund Director, Richard Karl. "NRC activates the appropriate response authorities. Responders need to know what they're dealing with so they can take steps to protect people living and working in the area."

Alliance Tubular Products Co., 640 Keystone St., Alliance, paid a $21,178 penalty and will perform two environmental projects worth $73,435 to resolve EPA's complaint. The company was cited for failing to provide immediate notification to the NRC, the state emergency response commission and the local emergency planning committee of a 4,257-pound release of sulfuric acid. Follow-up reports were also late. The environmental projects will improve the containment areas at the facility. Sulfuric acrid is used in metal treatment, waste water pH control and chemical processes. It can irritate the eyes, skin, nose and throat, and can cause pulmonary edema and skin burns.

BASF Corp., 1175 Martin St., Greenville, paid $13,359 to resolve EPA's complaint for failure to provide immediate notification to the NRC of a 508-pound release of xylene from over-pressurized valves. It was reported more than two days after it occurred. The xylene did not go off-site and BASF has cleaned up the area. Xylene is a solvent that can irritate the eyes and skin.

City of Cincinnati paid a $17,550 penalty to resolve EPA's complaint for failure to provide immediate notification to the NRC of an 11,276-pound release of aluminum sulfate at its Richard Miller Water Treatment Plant. The release, more than twice the reportable quantity, was reported five hours after it occurred. The city is now in compliance. Aluminum sulfate is a water treatment chemical.

Owens Corning Corp., 2790 Columbus Road, Granville, paid a $3,000 penalty and will perform an environmental project to resolve EPA's complaint for failure to provide immediate notification to the NRC of an 852-pound release of trichloroethylene. The release, more than eight times the reportable quantity, was reported 14 hours late. Trichloroethylene is a solvent that can irritate the eyes and skin.

To get more information on the chemical risks visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh.