Sparrows Point, Md.-The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced that Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, Penn., agreed to settle alleged violations of toxic chemical reporting requirements at its Sparrows Point, Md., plant. The company will pay a $62,130 penalty and discontinue the use of chlorine in its cooling process at the Maryland plant. According to the EPA consent agreement, releases of ammonia in November 2007 and November 2008 were not immediately reported to all designated emergency response officials as required by the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). The federal regulations require immediate reporting of ammonia releases when they exceed 100 pounds. On Nov. 3, 2007, at about 3 a.m., an estimated 4,000 pounds of ammonia were released. On Nov. 20, 2008, at about 4 p.m., an estimated 2,589 pounds of ammonia were released. In addition to the civil penalty, Air Products has agreed to substitute aqueous sodium hypochlorite in place of chlorine in its cooling system, a supplementary environmental project valued at $39,472. In the settlement, the company did not admit liability for the alleged violations.
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