Oil processing facility in Indianapolis agrees to $310K penalty, clean emissions – The Indiana Lawyer

Metalworking Lubricants Co. pays a $310,000 penalty to federal and state businesses for allegedly violating the Clear Air Act by emitting greater than 25 tons of hazardous air pollution per yr at its used oil processing facility in Indianapolis.

An announcement Friday by the U.S. Environmental Safety Company detailed the phrases of a proposed consent decree reached with the Metalworking Lubricants facility, positioned southwest of downtown Indianapolis. The EPA described the realm surrounding the plant as “a group with environmental justice issues.”

The corporate pays a penalty of $155,000 to the EPA and $155,000 to the Indiana Division of Environmental Administration. As well as, the corporate will set up a carbon adsorption system that should get better greater than 95% of the whole natural compound emissions and emit not more than 8 kilos per hour of sulfur dioxide.

Additionally, the enterprise must meet sure testing, monitoring and record-keeping necessities and adjust to a revised federally enforceable state working allow to maintain its emissions lower than 25 tons yearly.

The consent decree is topic to a 30-day public remark interval and ultimate courtroom approval.

Neither the criticism nor the proposed consent decree was out there on the Division of Justice Environmental and Pure Assets Division’s web site. The EPA and DOJ didn’t reply to calls requesting the paperwork.

In a information launch asserting the settlement, Brian Rockensuess, IDEM commissioner, mentioned the settlement settlement will profit Hoosiers residing close to the ability.

“That is excellent news for central Indiana, and the enhancements required by this consent decree will lead to cleaner air for the group,” Rockensuess mentioned within the information launch. “Via our partnership with EPA, we had been in a position to resolve these excellent Clear Air Act violations.”

Metalworking Lubricant didn’t reply to a name to its company headquarters in Pontiac, Michigan, searching for touch upon the settlement.

In keeping with the press launch, EPA and IDEM alleged Metalworking Lubricants violated its air allow by emitting hazardous air contaminants, together with naphthalene, ethylbenzene, xylene, phenol and toluene. The corporate allegedly did not function its scrubber at particular occasions when oil-processing tanks had been in operations and failed to reply when the scrubber malfunctioned.

Additionally, the ability allegedly didn’t hold the required data and underestimated the quantity of hazardous air pollution in incoming oil, which affected its emissions, in response to the EPA and IDEM. As well as, the corporate allegedly didn’t apply for a serious supply working allow.

“This motion demonstrates EPA’s dedication to guard public well being towards hazardous air air pollution,” Michael Harris, director of the Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division at EPA Area 5, mentioned within the information launch. “Firms that fail to take correct precautions or hold thorough data shall be held accountable by EPA and our state companions.”