Here are some recent headlines in chemical manufacturing that you may have missed.

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Eastman Chemical Resins Inc. will have to pay a $2.4 million penalty for multiple environmental violations at its 56-acre manufacturing facility in West Elizabeth, PA, according to a release by the EPA. The facility is now owned and operated by Synthomer Jefferson Hills, LLC.

Along with the financial penalty being paid by Eastman, Synthomer has agreed to eliminate ongoing violations and prevent future violations. This includes a comprehensive review of stormwater discharges and groundwater contamination, and implementing initiatives to ensure compliance with environmental laws, including the Clean Water Act, Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and parallel Pennsylvania laws.

The environmental violations are:

  • Chronic Clean Water Act violations including exceeding allowable limits for zinc, xylene and other pollutants that are discharged to the Monongahela River.

  • Unpermitted discharges of oil and other pollutants.

  • Failure to comply with operation and maintenance obligations of its Clean Water Act permit.

  • Violations of the facility’s Clean Air Act risk management program.

  • Numerous hazardous waste management violations.

The penalty will be divided equally between the US and the State of Pennsylvania, who are co-plaintiffs in this consent decree. Pennsylvania DEP assisted EPA in the investigation and litigation. The settlement addresses alleged federal and state environmental law violations that have occurred since 2017, which threaten to degrade receiving streams and impact public health and harm aquatic life and the environment.  

“Compliance with our nation’s laws that protect the environment and the health of our communities is an obligation companies can’t take lightly,” said Adam Ortiz, EPA regional administrator. “The actions required by this settlement will help ensure that the facility operates in a manner that is protective of environmental resources and the health of nearby communities.”

 

About the Author(s)

Powder Bulk Solids Staff

Established in 1983, Powder & Bulk Solids (PBS) serves industries that process, handle, and package dry particulate matter, including the food, chemical, and pharmaceutical markets.

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