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13 California companies save $586,054 by reporting their violations to EPA

Release Date: 11/17/2005
Contact Information: Wendy L. Chavez, (415) 947-4248

SAN FRANCISCO -- Thirteen California companies recently saved a collective $586,054 in potential penalties for voluntarily disclosing and quickly correcting their federal Emergency Planning and Community-Right-to-Know Act violations with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In return for the prompt disclosure and correction, the U.S. EPA's Pacific Southwest Office dropped penalties ranging from $5,000 to $98,000 to businesses in the Bay Area and southern and central California.

"This is a win for communities, for business, and for the EPA," said Enrique Manzanilla, the EPA's Communities and Ecosystems Division director for the Pacific Southwest region. "The public now has accurate information about chemicals released in their communities, and because these companies quickly reported and corrected their reporting violations, they avoided penalties and are now in compliance with the EPA's community right-to-know laws."

Under the EPA's audit policy, the agency may reduce penalties up to 100 percent for violations that are voluntarily discovered, promptly disclosed to the agency and quickly corrected. See the attached list for a breakdown of the companies that settled with the EPA.

Federal Law requires certain facilities using chemicals over specified amounts to file annual reports to the EPA and the state that estimate the amounts released to the environment, treated or recycled on-site or transferred off-site for waste management. The information is then compiled into a national database called the Toxics Release Inventory and made available to the public.

The premise behind the program is that the public has a right to know about toxic chemical releases, and that facilities have a responsibility to inform surrounding communities about their use and release of toxic chemicals.

More information about the audit policy can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/compliance/incentives/auditing/auditpolicy.html For more information on the Toxics Release Inventory program visit: https://www.epa.gov/tri. The U.S. EPA's environmental databases, including the TRI data, can be accessed at: https://www.epa.gov/enviro.

Facility Name: Dionex Corporation
Location: Sunnyvale
Business: Manufactures chromatography and extraction systems to identify components of chemical mixtures.
Violations: Failure to report lead compounds for 2001-2003.
Potential fine: $56,524

Facility Name: Helix Polycold Systems Inc.
Location: Petaluma
Business: Manufactures cryogenic refrigeration systems
Violations: Failure to report copper for 2002 and 2003.
Potential fine: $27,719

Facility Name: Jabil Circuit
Location: San Jose
Business: Manufactures electrical and electromechanical assemblies
Violations: Failure to report lead for 2001-2003.
Potential fine: $85,566
Facility Name: Ennis Paint
Location: Adelanto and Bakersfield
Business: Manufactures pavement marking materials
Violations: Failure to report methanol and lead for 2000-2002.
Potential fine: $97,909

Facility Name: Morningstar Foods, LLC
Location: Gustine
Business: Manufactures dairy products
Violations: Failure to report nitric acid for 2001 and 2002 and nitrate compounds for 2000-2002.
Potential fine: $93,500

Facility Name: Balboa Instruments, Inc.
Location: Tustin
Business: Manufactures electronics for pool and hot tub use
Violations: Failure to report lead for 2001-2003.
Potential fine: $78,637

Facility Name: California Steel Industries, Inc.
Location: Fontana
Business: Produces steel products
Violations: Failure to report manganese for 2000 and 2001.
Potential fine: $55,000

Facility Name: Certified Fabricators, Inc.
Location: Buena Park
Business: Manufactures and fabricates tools and components
Violations: Failure to report nickel for 2000 and 2001 and lead for 2001 and 2002.
Potential fine: $19,987

Facility Name: Classic Plating Inc.
Location: Anaheim
Business: Chrome plating of automotive wheels
Violations: Failure to report nitric acid for 2001-2003.
Potential fine: $17,472

Facility Name: Clorox Products Manufacturing Company
Location: Vernon
Business: Manufactures bleach
Violations: Failure to report chlorine for 2001.
Potential fine: $25,240

Facility Name: Essilor Laboratories of America
Location: Rancho Dominguez
Business: Manufactures ophthalmic lenses
Violations: Failure to report lead for 2002.
Potential fine: $5,500

Facility Name: NASCO Aircraft Brake, Inc.
Location: Gardena
Business: Manufactures military and commercial aircraft brake replacement parts.
Violations: Failure to report methanol for 2003.
Potential fine: $6,500

Facility Name: Pall Filtration and Separations Group, Inc.
Location: San Diego
Business: Manufactures filtration and separation equipment and products
Violations: Failure to report n-methyl-2-pyrrolidone for 2000-2002.
Potential fine: $16,500