(PHILADELPHIA August 31, 2011) The U.S.…
(PHILADELPHIA – August 31, 2011)
– The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today
that a chemical distributor in Roanoke, Va. has agreed to pay a
$43,967 penalty and complete more than $200,000 in safety
improvements to settle alleged violations of federal environmental
laws designed to protect and inform the public about hazardous
chemicals.
The company, Chemicals and Solvents, Inc. (doing
business as Chemsolv, Inc.) is located at 1111 Industry Ave., S.E.,
Roanoke. The settlement applies to Chemsolv and Austin Holdings-VA,
LLC, owner of two of three properties that make up the
facility.
According to an EPA complaint, the alleged
violations include the facility’s lack of fire protection,
inadequate secondary containment, and improper storage of
incompatible chemicals. Other violations concern the
company’s failure to fully implement its risk management
program that is designed to help prevent chemical releases, and the
company’s failure to submit required documentation to state,
county and local officials for the facility’s numerous
hazardous chemicals. States and communities can use this
information to improve chemical safety and to protect public health
and the environment in the event of a release.
The settlement announced today follows up on an
EPA order in June 2008 for Chemsolv to take extensive measures to
ensure that its storage facilities complied with industry standards
and risk management program regulations. To comply with the order,
Chemsolv rebuilt two large warehouses at the facility.
In the settlement, Chemsolv has agreed to pay a
cash penalty of $43,967, and to implement two additional safety
upgrades that exceed regulatory requirements: (1) installation of a
nitrogen blanketing system on 20 storage tanks containing flammable
materials at a cost of $153,000, and (2) installation of a dry
disconnect system on hoses at the facility, which will eliminate
drips and accidental spills during loading and unloading of
chemicals, at a cost of $63,000. In the settlement documents, the
company neither admitted nor denied liability for the alleged
violations.
For more information on chemical safety and
community right-to-know laws, visit
https://www.epa.gov/emergency-response
and https://www.epa.gov/technical-air-pollution-resources