EPA Proposes TSCA Requirements for Nanoscale Materials

 

“Nanotechnology holds great promise for improving products, from TVs and vehicles to batteries and solar panels,” said Jim Jones, EPA’s Assistant Administrator for Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. “We want to continue to facilitate the trend toward this important technology. Today’s action will ensure that EPA also has information on nano-sized versions of chemicals that are already in the marketplace.”

EPA currently reviews new chemical substances manufactured or processed as nanomaterials prior to introduction into the marketplace to ensure that they are safe. The proposal will require one-time reporting from companies that manufacture or process chemical substances as nanoscale materials.

The companies would be required to notify EPA of:

• Certain information, including specific chemical identity
• Production volume
• Methods of manufacture; processing, use, exposure, and release information
• Available health and safety data

Nanoscale materials have special properties related to their small size such as greater strength and lighter weight, however, they may take on different properties than their conventionally sized counterpart.

The proposed reporting requirements are being issued under the authority of section 8(a) under TSCA. The agency is requesting public comment on the proposed reporting and recordkeeping requirements 90 days from publication in the Federal Register. EPA also anticipates holding a public meeting during the comment period. 

Learn DOT’s New Rules for Lithium Battery Shipments

These changes are designed to ensure that lithium cells and batteries are able to withstand normal transportation conditions and are packaged to reduce the possibility of damage that could lead to an unsafe situation.

 

• Enhance packaging and hazard communication requirements for lithium batteries transported by air
• Replace equivalent lithium content with Watt-hours for lithium ion cells and batteries
• Adopt separate shipping descriptions for lithium metal batteries and lithium ion batteries
• Revise provisions for the transport of small and medium lithium cells and batteries including cells and batteries packed with, or contained in, equipment
• Revise the exceptions for small cells and batteries in air transportation
• Revise the requirements for the transport of lithium batteries for disposal or recycling
• Harmonize the provisions for the transport of low production and prototype lithium cells and batteries with the ICAO Technical Instructions and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code
• Adopt new provisions for the transport of damaged, defective, and recalled lithium batteries

If you ship batteries by ground or air, you must comply with the latest DOT and IATA/ICAO regulations that specify how the batteries must be packaged, marked, labeled, and transported. The rules apply not only to batteries, but also to equipment or vehicles that contain batteries as well as batteries packed along with equipment. Virtually all types of batteries are regulated, including lithium, lead-acid, nickel cadmium, and metal hydride alkaline. According to 49 CFR 172.704, all personnel involved in the classification, packaging, marking, labeling, or shipment of batteries must receive initial and recurrent transportation training.

 

New Orleans RCRA and DOT Training

 

Philadelphia RCRA and DOT Training

 

Virginia Beach RCRA and DOT Training

 

National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Coal-and Oil-Fired Electric Steam Generating Units

On November 19, 2014, the EPA proposed amending certain reporting requirements in the National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Coal- and Oil-Fired Electric Steam Generating Units (Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS)) rule. 

Schaffer Grinding Company Inc. to Pay $160,000 for Hazardous Waste Violations

 

Schaffer operates two facilities in Los Angeles County, one in Santa Fe Springs and the other in Montebello.  The facility operates several machines that grind metal sheets, including titanium, magnesium, and stainless steel.

 

DTSC enforcement and emergency response staff found that, between May and September of 2011, Schaffer sent 332 55-gallon drums of titanium and magnesium grindings to a solvent recycling facility in Tecate, Mexico. This is inorganic hazardous waste and the Mexican company (Recicladora Temarry de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.) is only authorized to receive and treat organic hazardous waste.

Schaffer has stopped exporting its hazardous waste to Recicladora Temarry and agreed to operate in a manner to minimize the release of hazardous waste, use a registered hazardous waste hauler to transport its hazardous waste and to stop accepting and storing hazardous waste without authorization from DTSC.

 

Pinnacle Oilfield Services Fined for Misclassifying Site as Conditionally Exempt Small Quantity Generator

The EPA recently issued a consent agreement and final order to Pinnacle Oilfield Services, Inc., in Broussard, Louisiana.  The company will pay a $146,585 civil penalty and is required to take steps to protect the local community from health and environmental risks associated with hazardous waste.

Pinnacle was a facility that reported to produce less than 100 kilograms a month, since 1994. However, during the past five years, the facility violated federal environmental laws by generating over 1,000 kilograms of hazardous waste per month.

RCRA is designed to protect public health and the environment, and avoid costly cleanups, by requiring the safe, environmentally sound storage and disposal of hazardous waste. The RCRA requirements mandate the use of safe practices which greatly reduce the chance that hazardous waste will be released into the environment.

Food Additive Could Serve as a Safer, more Environmentally Friendly Antifreeze

The sweet taste and smell of antifreeze tempts children and animals to drink the poisonous substance, resulting in thousands of accidental poisonings in the United States every year. But researchers describe a new, nontoxic product based on a common food additive that could address this health issue and help the environment at the same time.

The meeting featured nearly 11,000 reports on new advances in science and other topics.

As many as 90,000 pets and wild animals are poisoned annually by drinking antifreeze, says the Humane Society of the United States. And the American Association of Poison Control Centers reports that about 6,000 people were poisoned by the toxic liquid in 2012. Several hundred of those were children. Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe revealed last fall that he became ill after accidentally drinking a mixture of half water/half antifreeze from a faucet in Canada.

“Ethylene glycol, the predominant constituent of automotive products, such as antifreeze and deicers, is chemically broken down in the body into toxic compounds,” says Edward V. Clancy. “It and its toxic byproducts first affect the central nervous system, then the heart and finally the kidneys. Drinking sufficient amounts can be fatal.” Clancy is chief technology officer and founder of ACTA Technology, Inc., and professor emeritus at California State Polytechnic University.

The researchers at ACTA have created an ecofriendly and safe antifreeze by turning to a substance called propylene glycol and combining it with an additive that also makes the new product more efficient, Clancy says.

Unlike the poison ethylene glycol, propylene glycol is safe to consume—the syrupy liquid is a common food additive used to absorb excessive moisture and stabilize mixtures. For example, it is in some foods that contain artificial sweeteners, as well as in some pastry icings. It is “generally recognized as safe” by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Clancy notes that propylene glycol is already used as antifreeze in some machinery where safety is especially important, such as in manufacturing plants where food is made and antifreeze leaks could result. But it would not be practical to use it in vehicles directly because propylene glycol alone is thicker than ethylene glycol, leading to less efficient cooling and added costs, he says.

The team, looking for a way to overcome the problem, developed an additive composed of nanoparticles that thinned the propylene glycol to a point where it significantly improved heat transfer and made it more effective than ethylene glycol, Clancy says. “Our additive creates a stable dispersion of high surface area, pyrogenic metal oxide particles,” he explains. “This high surface area seems to be functionally critical to the superior heat transfer performance.” 

The researchers tested the propylene glycol and additive mixture in the laboratory to see whether it would be a good substitute for ethylene glycol. They found that their antifreeze was 60% more efficient at cooling than conventional formulations.

“Because ACTA’s patented propylene glycol/water mixture with our additive increases the heat transfer of the flow systems, vehicle manufacturers could make these systems smaller,” says Clancy. “A smaller radiator would result in a lighter car, thereby increasing fuel economy and cutting emissions.”

Changing the radiators would require some redesigns, and this would take time, says Clancy. Thus, the team first plans to optimize the antifreeze for smaller markets, such as the food and beverage industry. They are also working on ways to adjust the fluid so that it can be produced on a large scale. He predicts that the product will be on the market for food processing within a year.

Continental Carbon Company Fined $650,000 for Clean Air Act Violations

In a settlement with the United States and the states of Alabama and Oklahoma, Continental Carbon Company has agreed to install pollution control technology that will significantly cut emissions of harmful air pollutants at manufacturing facilities in Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas, the EPA and the Department of Justice announced recently. 

The settlement requires Continental to pay a civil penalty of $650,000, which will be shared with Alabama and Oklahoma, co-plaintiffs in the case. Continental must also spend $550,000 on environmental projects to help mitigate the harmful effects of air pollution on the environment and to benefit local communities, including at least $25,000 on energy efficiency projects in the communities near each of the three facilities.

“This settlement brings another major carbon black company into compliance with a law that protects clean air for American communities,” said Cynthia Giles, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “By investigating all 15 carbon black manufacturing plants in the US, EPA is committed to improving public health and leveling the playing field for companies that follow the law. By installing the latest pollution control technology and funding environmental projects, Continental is taking steps to reduce emissions of air pollutants that can lead to serious health problems.”

“Today’s agreement is good news for residents living near Continental facilities in Alabama, Oklahoma, and Texas, who will benefit from cleaner air for years to come because of this action,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “The agreement also reflects our continuing efforts to vigorously enforce the Clean Air Act to protect public health and the environment. The settlement requires Continental to control large sources of air pollution with advanced technology and requires projects that will have a direct and positive impact on Continental’s neighbors.”

Continental manufactures carbon black, a fine carbonaceous powder used in tires, plastics, rubber, inkjet toner and cosmetics, at facilities in Phenix City, Alabama; Ponca City, Oklahoma; and Sunray, Texas. Because the oil used to make carbon black is high in sulfur, its production creates large amounts of nitrogen oxide, sulfur dioxide, and particulate matter. This settlement supports EPA’s and DOJ’s national efforts to advance environmental justice by working to protect communities such as Phenix City and Ponca City that have been disproportionately impacted by pollution.

EPA expects that the actions required by the settlement will reduce harmful emissions by approximately 6,278 tons per year of sulfur dioxide and 1,590 tons per year of nitrogen oxide. Continental estimates that it will spend about $98 million to implement the required measures. The pollution reductions will be achieved through the installation, upgrade, and operation of state-of-the-art pollution control devices designed to reduce emissions and protect public health.

SO₂ and NOx have numerous adverse effects on human health and are significant contributors to acid rain, smog, and haze. These pollutants are converted in the air to particulate matter that can cause severe respiratory and cardiovascular impacts, and premature death.

. EPA issued notices of violation to Continental for these claims in 2012.

The settlement was filed with the United States District Court for the Western District Court of Oklahoma and is subject to a 30-day public comment period. The company is required to pay the penalty within 30 days after the court approves the settlement.

Through the initiative, EPA investigated all 15 of the carbon black plants in the US for violations of the Clean Air Act’s Prevention of Significant Deterioration requirements. With this settlement, six of the 15 facilities will be covered by consent decrees with EPA. In 2013, EPA announced the first national carbon black settlement with Boston-based Cabot Corporation, the second largest carbon black manufacturer in the United States.

EPA Responds to Incident that Leaves Four People Ill on St. John

The EPA is working closely with the US Virgin Island government to investigate an incident reported to the US Virgin Islands government and EPA on March 20, 2015. On March 20, 2015, paramedics responded to a call that four people in a family staying at the Sirenusa Condominium Resort in Cruz Bay, St. John became very ill. Family members were subsequently hospitalized.

The use of methyl bromide in the US is restricted due to its acute toxicity. Only certified applicators are allowed to use it in certain agricultural settings, and it is not authorized for use in dwellings. 

“Pesticides can be very toxic and it is critically important that they be applied properly and used only as approved by EPA,” said Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator. “Protecting people’s health in the US Virgin Islands is of paramount importance. The EPA is actively working to determine how this happened and will make sure steps are taken to prevent this from happening to others at these vacation apartments or elsewhere.”

The EPA is continuing to work with the US Virgin Islands government and others to gather information and will ensure that appropriate steps are taken if it determines any environmental regulations or laws were violated.

Clean Air Act Violations Lead to $1.2 Million Fine

 

The complaint filed with the settlement alleges that MTU violated the Clean Air Act by selling 895 non-road, heavy-duty diesel engines, which are used in mining, marine and power generation vehicles and equipment, without valid certificates of conformity. EPA voided the certificates of conformity purporting to cover the engines based on improper emissions testing by MTU employees. Under the settlement, MTU will pay a $1.2 million penalty and perform annual audits of its engine emission testing and certification activities for three years. The audits will be conducted by an EPA-approved, third party auditor that will monitor and evaluate compliance with Clean Air Act requirements for testing, certification, recordkeeping and reporting. MTU is also required to initiate corrective actions if the audit reveals non-compliance.

“Engines that aren’t properly certified can emit toxic pollution that aggravates asthma and other respiratory illnesses,” said Assistant Administrator Cynthia Giles of EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “This agreement requires that MTU take important steps to comply with the law, protect the public and reduce smog in our air.”

“Certificates of conformity are a critical part of EPA’s program to ensure that vehicles and engines meet Clean Air Act emissions standards,” said Assistant Attorney General John C. Cruden of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Companies that skirt the rules in their certification testing hurt the public and their competitors. Today’s settlement ensures that the company will adequately monitor the activities of employees involved in the certification process to prevent this kind of conduct from recurring.”

Every engine sold in or imported into the US must be covered by a valid EPA-issued certificate of conformity.  Engines operating without proper emissions controls can emit excess carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides, which can cause respiratory illness, aggravate asthma, and contribute to the formation of ground-level ozone or smog.

Through information disclosed by the company, EPA discovered that MTU had obtained EPA certificates of conformity without conducting valid testing. EPA learned that MTU had installed a catalytic converter onto its prototype engine during testing to reduce emissions of pollutants. MTU had also performed maintenance during durability testing on the same engine, but had not reported this to EPA, a violation of testing regulations.

Selling or importing engines that are not covered by valid certificates of conformity is a violation of the Clean Air Act. Based on MTU’s disclosures, EPA voided the certificates of conformity covering these engines on February 23, 2015. MTU violated the Clean Air Act by selling and importing the engines, which, because of the voiding, were not covered by a valid certificate of conformity as required by law. MTU has worked with EPA to take steps to prevent these violations from occurring in the future.

This settlement is part of an ongoing effort by EPA to ensure that all vehicles and engines meet federal emission limits for harmful pollution. The Clean Air Act requires that all vehicles have EPA-issued certificates of conformity prior to being imported or sold in the US to demonstrate that they meet federal emission standards.

MTU America, Inc., based in Novi, Michigan, and formerly known as Tognum America, Inc., is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rolls-Royce Power Systems AG, a German corporation. MTU manufactures non-road, off-highway engines for the North American market for locomotive, marine, construction, and defense uses.

 

EPA Acts to Protect Puget Sound Shellfish Beds from Manure Runoff, Fines Lynden Dairy

 

The facility has agreed to update and follow its Nutrient Management Plan and correct issues causing discharges from confinement areas. Concentrated animal feeding operations and other agricultural facilities that discharge to surface waters must have a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. R. Bajema Farm confined 350 mature dairy cows at the time of inspection and did not have a permit.

“For both industries to thrive, agriculture and shellfish farms must coexist,” said Ed Kowalski, Director of the Office of Compliance and Enforcement in the EPA Seattle office. “Many agricultural facilities in Whatcom County are already helping to protect downstream Puget Sound shellfish farms by using tools that allow them to apply manure at the right time, in the right place, in the right amount, which minimizes polluted runoff. EPA will enforce water quality laws if facilities fail to comply with basic, environmentally protective regulations.”

 

Shellfish beds in North Puget Sound depend on clean water and are struggling because of fecal coliform pollution running downstream into Puget Sound. Fecal coliform originates from multiple sources including wastewater treatment plants, poorly managed septic systems, application of manure to fields, and agricultural facilities such as livestock operations, poultry farms, and dairy farms.

Water contaminated with fecal coliform drains from land into creeks and rivers, making its way into Puget Sound where the fecal coliform can contaminate shellfish. When fecal coliform levels rise, shellfish bed operators cannot harvest because the shellfish pose a risk to consumers.

The Lummi Nation has been particularly impacted by shellfish bed closures with millions of dollars in economic loss.

 In addition, there are agricultural operations such as feedlots, heifer replacement facilities, poultry farms, and hobby farms where manure must be managed carefully.

Operators of agricultural facilities can refer to manure spreading advisories and mapping that allows them to minimize the risk of runoff by deciding when and where to spread manure based on weather, soil conditions, soil type, field slope, equipment used, and the type of field.

In addition, state, and local agencies have hosted well-attended workshops on environmentally protective dairy nutrient management. The events covered rules and regulations, irrigation water management, and identification and management of high-risk areas.

Maryland Attorney General Secures Conviction Against Woman who Falsified Lead Paint Certificates

 

Johnson was sentenced to two years in jail, all of which was suspended, ordered to pay a $30,000 fine with all but $5,000 suspended, and is required to complete 800 hours of community service at the Baltimore Office of the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative. She was also placed on three years’ supervised probation and ordered to pay $1,200 in restitution.

“Lead poisoning can cause serious health problems or even death, so we won’t stand idly by when people try to skirt the law,” said Attorney General Frosh. “Marylanders should feel safe in their homes and not have to worry about this invisible killer.”

Johnson was convicted on charges of illegally falsifying and submitting falsified Lead Paint Risk Reduction Certificates and unfair or deceptive trade practices. The $5,000 fine is to be paid to the Lead Poisoning Prevention Fund.

Maryland law requires rental properties to be lead-inspected by an accredited lead paint inspector when there is a change of tenant or when a child living in the residence is diagnosed with an elevated blood level, among other circumstances.

All work must be performed by individuals or companies who have been trained and/or accredited by the Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE). Upon certification, MDE provides inspectors with blank Lead Paint Risk Reduction Certificates that have unique numbers specifically assigned to the accredited lead paint inspection contractor. MDE maintains a list of the certificates they issue and also tracks the use of the certificates and records their use and submission back to MDE.

Johnson had previously been certified as a supervisor of maintenance and repainting and also as a lead paint inspection contractor and lead paint visual inspector. However, as of August 2012, these certifications had all expired and were never renewed. Additionally, LJ Services LLC, Johnson’s now-forfeited business, was never accredited by MDE as a lead inspection contractor.

MDE was informed of the fabricated certificates by the former Coalition to End Childhood Lead Poisoning (now known as the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative) and the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. Investigation by the Environmental Crimes Unit of the Office of the Attorney General revealed that Johnson falsified Lead Paint Risk Reduction Certificates on four properties in Baltimore. Property owners paid Johnson to conduct lead paint inspections and to provide the required Lead Risk Reduction Certificates, but she was instead generating falsified certificates and not performing the lead inspections as required. These phony documents contained certificate numbers that had been assigned by MDE to other inspection companies and had been issued for other properties and properly recorded with MDE.

Johnson continued to provide lead paint inspection contractor and visual inspector services well after her certification expired in August 2012. In April 2014, she was hired and partially paid to conduct lead inspections at two additional properties located in East Baltimore, and presented to the property owner that she would be submitting samples to the lab and would provide the results as well as the Lead Risk Reduction Certificates. Her services were terminated by the property owner upon learning through MDE that she was no longer certified to provide the services that she had been paid to do.

Attorney General Frosh thanked Assistant Attorney General D’Arcy Talley, Environmental Crimes Unit Chief Investigator David Williams and MDE’s Lead Poisoning Prevention Program for their assistance in the case.

Federal Lawsuit to Force Toxic Cleanup of Malibu Schools

A lawsuit filed recently accusing Malibu school officials of violating the federal Toxic Substances Control Act would end the long stalemate over failure to thoroughly decontaminate the combined elementary, middle and high school campuses.The plaintiffs are also seeking expedited PCB testing of all school facilities.

The suit was filed in US District Court in Los Angeles by America Unites for Kids (formerly Malibu Unites), representing parents and other concerned Malibu residents, and by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), on behalf of Concerned Malibu/Cabrillo Teachers, a group of 30 teachers and staff at the Malibu Schools. The complaint names all members of Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District Board of Education as well as District Superintendent Sandra Lyon and Associate Superintendent and Chief Financial Officer Jan Maez, all in their official capacities.

Since October 2013 when a group of 20 teachers jointly complained of health problems, including thyroid cancers, they believed were linked to contaminated classrooms, the district has avoided a comprehensive source testing of the campuses. Instead of directly tackling PCBs embedded in caulk and other building materials, the district has:

• Spent nearly $4 million (far more than the cost of removal) on consultants and attorneys but so far has conducted only indirect “avoidance testing” such as air and dust sampling, which do not comply with federal law

• Even in the four classrooms where the district’s own consultants back in November 2013 found illegal PCB levels in window caulk, removal is not scheduled until the end of June 2015. Independent tests beginning in July 2014 have identified levels of PCBs in caulk up to 7000 times the legal limit. The District’s consultant recently announced that they have confirmed these results, but the District has failed to issue plans to remove the PCBs.
• Spurned an offer by supermodel Cindy Crawford, a Malibu parent who has since removed her children from the public schools, to personally pay for comprehensive source testing.

“The district had ample notice and more than ample opportunity to avoid litigation but has not moved a step toward complying with the law to insure safety for students and teachers,” stated PEER Senior Counsel Paula Dinerstein. “Across the country, we see school districts faced with similar conditions opt for immediate and complete removal but, by comparison, Malibu school officials seem stuck in the sand.”

Teachers who expressed concern about working in classrooms where illegal levels of PCBs have been identified have been threatened with termination. Parents who asked to have their children excused from attending contaminated classrooms have been threatened with truancy violations.

“For almost two school years, our district leadership has blatantly disregarded the law and put our kids and teachers at unnecessary risk. No amount of cleaning with wet rags can remove PCBs and guarantee no exposure for our children and teachers,” said Jennifer deNicola, President of America Unites for Kids, which is being represented in this action by the Los Angeles law firm of Nagler & Associates. “The law is the law, and the Toxic Substances Control Act requires removal of any PCBs above 50 parts-per-million – that is the remedy we demand.”

School District’s Own Tests Show Shocking PCB Levels

The revelation came a day after America Unites for Kids and Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) sued the Santa Monica Malibu Unified School District for violating the federal Toxic Substances Control Act involving excessive levels of PCBs in school buildings.

The new test results prepared by the district’s own consultant showed PCB levels ranging from 330 parts-per-million to 570,000 ppm, meaning that over 50% of the caulk sample was pure PCB, a cancer-causing, banned chemical. By contrast, the federal safety limit is just 50 ppm. Despite these extremely high levels of a highly toxic chemical banned by Congress, all of these rooms are still in use by students and teachers of the combined elementary, middle and high schools. Elementary school special needs students are in a classroom tested at 470,000 ppm.

The troubling nature of these ultra-high results is compounded by the manner of their release –

• Nine months ago, America Unites and PEER had arranged independent testing of the caulking in these same rooms showing similar high levels. The district ignored these findings and only tested these rooms after the groups filed their Notice of Intent to Sue. Despite this recent verification, the district still opposes school-wide testing of caulking.
• At the school board meeting on March 19, 2015, the district’s own consultant, Douglas Daugherty of Environ, contended that independent tests could not be verified. In fact at that time, he already had in his possession their own test results reflecting PCB concentrations that were significantly higher than the independent samples.
• On March 20th, 2015 America Unites for Kids and PEER demanded that any testing done be immediately released to the public. On Monday, March 23rd, after the Federal lawsuit was filed, the district posted these test results on their website buried in a table within a 200 plus page document.

“What school district officials have done is monstrous—they are deliberately keeping students and teachers in highly toxic classrooms with no precautions to prevent direct contact with PCBs,” stated PEER Senior Counsel Paula Dinerstein. “These results are the smoking gun evidence, from its own gun, that the district is in flagrant violation of the Toxic Substances Control Act.”

The Malibu schools have been roiled by this issue since October 2013, when a group of teachers jointly expressed concern about health effects, ranging from thyroid cancer to migraines, from toxic contamination on campus. In the ensuing months, the district has opposed wider testing and/or removal of contaminants, despite spending significant sums on lawyers and consultants.

“I am stunned that district officials and their consultants stood in front of us on Thursday evening and did not disclose these extraordinarily high test results!” said Jennifer deNicola, President of America Unites for Kids. “This illustrates to all of us that the district is going to stop at nothing to defend its indefensible position of leaving illegal levels of PCBs in the schools which put students and teachers in harm’s way.”

Automakers Surpassing Light-Duty Greenhouse Gas Standards

For the second consecutive model year, the automotive industry outperformed the national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions standards by a wide margin. Overall industry compliance in model year 2013 was 12 grams/mile—or 1.4 miles per gallon—better than required by the 2013 standard.

The report presents detailed information about how individual firms are complying with GHG emissions standards for cars and light trucks.

“These findings are a terrific early success story for President Obama’s historic effort to reduce the pollution that contributes to climate change,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy. “Automakers are racing to meet our goals. The American auto industry has never been stronger, we’re creating jobs here in the US, selling cleaner cars here and overseas, and consumers are really benefiting from the innovations spurred by these standards.”

The report found:

• Overall industry compliance in model year 2013 was 12 grams/mile better than required by the 2013 standard. This marks the second consecutive model year of industry outperforming the standards by a wide margin.
• The majority of manufacturers (representing more than 99% of sales) met both the 2012 and 2013 standards. The remaining manufacturers have several more years to come into compliance.
• Automakers are using the optional flexibilities built into the standards such as improved air conditioning systems and the use of fleet averaging. These flexibilities continue to increase consumer choice, spur technology innovation and decrease compliance costs all while providing manufacturers with options on how and when to make reductions.

 Average carbon dioxide emissions from cars and light trucks are also at a record low. Fuel economy has increased in eight of the last nine years. There are more than three times as many 30 mpg vehicles than just five years ago, and fuel economy for SUVs has been increasing faster than for any other vehicle types

EPA’s GHG emissions standards cover light-duty vehicles from model year 2012 to 2025.  The standards are also projected to save consumers who purchase a new MY 2025 vehicle more than $8,000 in fuel costs over that vehicle’s lifetime.

New England Organizations Step Up for EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge and Help to Reduce Food Waste

Twelve New England organizations have backed a national effort led by the EPA to help cut down on the nearly 35 million tons of food wasted in the United States each year. This EPA initiative encourages businesses, organizations, and institutions to prevent food waste by donating or recycling food.

 Food Recovery Challenge Endorsers help educate others about the environmental consequences of wasted food and help recruit new groups to join the 750 already taking part in EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge.

“Sending food to a landfill represents missed opportunities to reduce costs, protect the environment and help our neighbors,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “Our New England partners and endorsers of the Food Recovery Challenge are making a real difference for the environment and for our communities.”

“We are enthusiastically endorsing EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge,” said Robert Klee, Commissioner of Connecticut’s Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (CT DEEP). “We have been working closely with community partners to address this important issue—and this new EPA initiative offers another valuable tool to help us prevent and reduce wasted food, and to move forward with Connecticut’s overall solid waste reduction and recycling strategies. “

“Massachusetts supports the goals of the US EPA Food Recovery Challenge,” said MassDEP Commissioner Martin Suuberg. “We look forward to continuing to partner with EPA on this valuable work and to assisting Massachusetts businesses through our RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts program.”

Endorsers include state government, associations, businesses, and Non-Governmental Organizations whose missions align with reducing wasted food in their communities. New England groups are building on commercial food waste disposal ban regulations in Connecticut, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.

At the same time, 14.3% of households in the US in 2012 did not know where their next meal would come from.

Wasted food has economic, environmental, and social impacts. Much of the food discarded, especially by institutions, is actually safe, wholesome food that could potentially feed millions of Americans. Excess food, leftovers, and scraps that are not fit for consumption and donation can be recycled into a nutrient-rich soil supplement.

The New England Food Recovery Challenge Endorsers include these organizations:

Massachusetts

• Boston Green Tourism
• Boston University Community Service Center
• EV New England
• Manomet Center for Conservation Service
• Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection
• Northeast Waste Management Officials’ Association (NEWMOA)
• Spoiler Alert

New Hampshire

• New Hampshire Hospital Association
• Northeast Resource Recovery Association’s School Recycling Club

Connecticut

• Community Plates
• Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection

Vermont

• Northeast Recycling Council, Inc.

Environmental News Links

 

Trivia Question of the Week

Which energy source produces the greatest amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide?

a) Natural gas

b) Nuclear

c) Oil

d) Coal