TRENTON
-- Colorite Specialty Resins of Somerville
has agreed to take corrective measures at
its Burlington Township manufacturing facility
to reduce harmful emissions of vinyl chloride,
Attorney General Anne Milgram and Department
of Environmental Protection Commissioner
Lisa P. Jackson announced today along with
the U.S. Justice Department and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. The settlement
resolves alleged violations of federal and
state environmental laws.
Under
terms of the settlement, Colorite will pay
a $1.3 million civil penalty to be split
between New Jersey and the federal government,
and will undertake two projects valued at
more than $1 million that will further reduce
vinyl chloride emissions from its Burlington
Township facility. The Burlington Township
facility manufactures PVC plastic and vinyl
products. As part of its manufacturing processes,
the facility emits vinyl chloride. EPA has
classified vinyl chloride as a Group A human
carcinogen. Exposure to the chemical has
been linked to adverse human health effects,
including liver cancer, other liver ailments,
and neurological disorders.
”This
outcome provides another strong example
of our use of litigation to enforce environmental
laws and improve the quality of life for
New Jersey residents - particularly those
living near this facility. The settlement
requires Colorite to go beyond compliance
and take immediate steps to reduce vinyl
chloride emissions,” said Attorney
General Milgram.
”Given what we know about the dangers
of these emissions, this settlement did
not come a moment too soon for the people
who live and work near this facility,”
said DEP Commissioner Jackson. “For
this community, and indeed for all New Jerseyans,
it means healthier air, a better quality
of life and the peace of mind that comes
with knowing this facility will be cleaning
up its act.”
Alan
J. Steinberg, EPA’s Region 2 Administrator,
said, “EPA is making a concerted effort
to focus on facilities that emit vinyl chloride
because it is potentially very harmful,
and this settlement shows that our efforts
are paying off with real benefits to nearby
communities. In this case, Colorite has
agreed to clean up their act, which will
have a direct positive impact on people
in Burlington County.”
According to the settlement, Colorite has
agreed to lower limits on residual vinyl
chloride in both types of resins it produces;
test for such residues in every batch of
resin and test for vinyl chloride emissions
during every reactor opening; conduct an
analysis of its wastewater stripper to determine
the sources of Clean Air Act violations;
and institute better hazardous waste handling
practices.
Under
the agreement, Colorite will remove compressors
used in the manufacturing process and replace
them with two rotary compressors which is
expected to reduce vinyl chloride emissions
by 2,200 lbs. per year. Combined the lower
regulatory limits and compressor replacements
are estimated to reduce vinyl chloride emissions
by approximately 11,000 lbs. per year.
The
settlement also requires the company to
implement an extensive and comprehensive
leak detection and repair program. The program
will require internal notifications of emissions
levels and action when levels reach specified
concentrations, as well as quarterly trend
analysis on ambient monitoring data to identify
areas of the facility with the greatest
number of leaks. It also requires the company
to develop a training program and apply
it to all employees involved in the facility’s
operations.
Colorite
has further agreed to a third party audit
of all operations at the facility, with
a follow-up audit two years later. The proposed
consent decree, filed in the U.S. District
Court for the District of New Jersey, is
subject to a 30-day public comment period
and approval by the federal court. A copy
of the consent decree is available on the
Department of Justice Web site at http://www.usdoj.gov/enrd/open.html.
Deputy
Attorney General Lisa Morelli of the Division
of Law handled the case for the state of
New Jersey.
View
Consent Decree 913k
pdf
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