EPA is warning the public about a potential threat from an illegal pesticide product uncovered during an inspection of a shipment at a warehouse in Kearny, New Jersey. EPA discovered that a Brooklyn-based company had attempted to import mothballs from China that could be mistaken for candy and are not registered with EPA, as required by federal law. These mothballs are suspected of containing an active ingredient called para-dichlorobenzene, a toxic chemical. About 4800 brightly-decorated bags of the product, called Fuji Lavender Moth Tablets, were discovered. EPA is looking into whether the product has reached stores, and is asking the public to look out for the mothballs while the Agency continues its investigation. Members of the public should not purchase the Fuji Lavender Moth Tablets. If you have bought them, contact EPA at 732-321-4461 for assistance in properly disposing of them.
Inhaling para-dichlorobenzene can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, respiratory distress, and other illnesses. Swallowing it can damage the nervous system and, in extreme cases, can cause coma or death. In this case, the product’s similarity to candy makes accidental poisonings a real threat.
Advice for Safer, Cleaner Wood-Burning
As cooler temperatures return and many people seek to avoid high heating costs, more people are turning to wood as a cost-saving, renewable source of energy. If you use wood heaters, understand they may emit more pollutants into the air than the heat sources they replace such as oil or natural gas. Following some easy recommendations and tips from EPA can help ensure that wood is burned in a manner that is both safe and efficient.
Burning wood in pre-1992 and non EPA-certified wood stoves typically produces smoke, which contains particle pollution and other contaminants. Particle pollution is especially a concern because it can cause serious health effects, especially in children and older people. Exposure to particles can aggravate lung disease, causing asthma attacks and acute bronchitis, and may also increase susceptibility to respiratory infections.
To reduce exposure to particle pollution, EPA recommends that people replace their old wood stoves with professionally installed EPA-certified wood or pellet stoves. All wood stoves manufactured since 1988 must be EPA-certified. These certified wood stoves have better insulation and air flow so that more of the toxic gases and particles are burned inside the stove, producing less smoke. As a result, they use one-third less wood than older stoves for the same amount of heat and also emit 50–60% less air pollution. EPA-certified stoves are easy to identify because they carry a special label and white hang tag.
Some people may also choose to heat their homes or businesses with outdoor hydronic heaters (also called outdoor wood heaters or outdoor wood boilers). These heaters are usually located in outdoor sheds. Typically, they burn wood to heat liquid (water or water-antifreeze) that is piped to nearby buildings to provide heat, hot water, or both. Hydronic heaters may also be located indoors and may use biomass fuel other than cordwood, such as corn or wood pellets. Although the concept may be appealing, hydronic heaters commonly produce excessive amounts of smoke and can negatively impact nearby residences.
EPA has a successful voluntary program that encourages manufacturers to produce cleaner hydronic heaters. The program is now in Phase 2 and offers heaters that are about 90% cleaner than older, unqualified models. Like EPA-certified wood stoves, EPA-qualified hydronic heaters (Phase 2) have a white hang tag and are listed on EPA’s Burn Wise website.
Regardless of the type of wood-burning appliance used, everyone can take measures to save money and protect their health and the health of their neighbors. Here are a few tips to follow:
- Consider pollution emissions and potential health effects as well as cost when selecting a heating source;
- Upgrade to an EPA-certified woodstove or other clean-burning technology;
- All firewood should be properly seasoned and dry, which means it should be split and securely covered for at least six months;
- Never burn trash or treated wood, which can emit toxic air pollutants;
- Only use a clean newspaper or dry kindling to start a fire, never gasoline, kerosene, charcoal, or a propane torch;
- Never let a fire smolder—this increases air pollution and does not provide heat; and
- Have your heating system inspected once a year with particular attention to vents and chimneys—don’t just rely on a carbon-monoxide alarm.
Reduce your overall heating needs and heating bills by improving the insulation in your home; caulking around windows, doors, and pipes to seal air gaps; and by adding weather-stripping to doors and windows.
Give the Gift of Savings with Energy Star this Holiday Season
With the help of EPA’s Energy Star program, finding the perfect gift that gives more is easy. Energy Star qualified products save energy and money, and with more than 60 product categories to choose from, it is a simple way to help your friends and family give back to the environment. By using products that have earned the Energy Star label, you can cut both your energy bill and your emissions by one-third—saving money and helping to fight climate change.
Home Entertainment—Home entertainment is a popular gift choice for the holidays. You can find the Energy Star label on nearly all entertainment products from TVs and Blu-ray disc players to home-theater-in-a-box. Qualified TVs, for example, use about 40% less energy than standard TVs and are available in a wide range of sizes and technologies.
Office Products—Shoppers can also find the Energy Star label on office products like computers, monitors, notebooks, multifunction devices, and more. An office fully equipped with Energy Star qualified products can save up to $350 over the lifetime of the products. Energy Star qualified computers and monitors come with the power management enabled to ensure you are saving the most energy and money.
Products that use Energy Star Qualified Battery Chargers—Another great gift idea is any one of the variety of products that use Energy Star qualified battery chargers, such as video game controls, digital cameras, shavers, hand vacuums, power tools, and even cordless lawn mowers. Products that use Energy Star qualified chargers use 35% less energy compared to those with conventional chargers. As you replace your old battery chargers, look for opportunities to recycle them because they are commonly accepted in electronics recycling programs.
Other Holiday Saving Tips
- Holiday Decorating—Be sure to also look for the Energy Star label on LED decorative light strings to meet your holiday decorating needs. Qualified light strings use 75% less electricity than conventional incandescent light strings and are available in a variety of colors, shapes, and lengths. These Energy Star qualified light strings save energy and are more durable, shock-resistant, and cooler to the touch.
- Recycle Old Electronics—Don’t forget to tell those who are receiving your gifts to recycle their old electronics. Recycling electronics allows the valuable materials in electronics to be used again in new products, saving natural resources. EPA’s Plug-In To eCycling initiative has information on how to safely recycle electronics, including cell phones, computers, and TVs.
- Unplug Electronics—With all of these holiday ideas, remember that unplugging electronics once they are charged as well as turning them off when they are not in use will optimize the energy savings. Plugging electronics into a power strip makes this easy—just flip the switch to power everything down at once.
Save up to $300 on HAZWOPER Training
For a limited time, you can save up to $300 on the mandatory training you need to achieve or maintain your HAZWOPER certification.
Personnel who are expected to stop, contain, and clean up on-site releases are required to have 24 hours of initial training. Personnel who are involved in cleanups at waste sites-including Superfund sites, RCRA corrective action sites, or voluntary cleanups involving hazardous substances must have 40 hours of initial classroom instruction.
Satisfy your training requirements with these comprehensive courses that provide in-depth instruction on how to perform emergency response activities. Topics include hazard recognition, spill control and containment, worker protection, and waste site activities such as site characterization, waste handling, and decontamination. You will have the opportunity to apply your training during a hands-on simulated incident response.
To take advantage of this offer, register by phone at 800-537-2372 and mention this article. These offers can be used by anyone at your facility, however, no other discounts apply.
IATA Update – What’s New for 2011?
Each year, the International Air Transportation Association (IATA) updates and revises the regulations for the transportation of dangerous goods (hazardous materials) by air. If you offer dangerous goods for transportation by air, you must follow the new regulations by January 1. A large number of significant changes are being implemented in the 2011 IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR).
At this live webcast, you will learn:
- Changes in the regulations for consumer commodities– new marking and shipping paper entries
- New test authorized to determine classification and packing group of corrosives
- Changes in the classification criteria for magnetized materials
- Revisions to the classification of environmentally hazardous substances, marine pollutants, and aquatic pollutants
- Phase in of new packing instructions for Class 3 flammable liquids, Class 4 flammable solids, Class 5 oxidizers/organic peroxides, Class 8 corrosives, Class 9 miscellaneous, and Division 6
- New entries on the IATA List of Dangerous Goods and new special provisions
- New marking requirements for net quantities, limited quantities, environmentally hazardous substances, and orientation arrows
Advertising Opportunities Available
Environmental Resource Center is making a limited number of advertising positions available in the Safety Tip of the Week™, the Environmental Tip of the Week™, and the Reg of the Day™.
Air Quality Designations for the 2008 Lead (Pb) National Ambient Air Quality Standards
This rule establishes air quality designations for certain areas in the United States for the 2008 lead (Pb) National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS). Based on air quality monitoring data, EPA has issuing this rule to identify areas that do not meet the 2008 Pb NAAQS and areas that contribute to Pb air pollution in a nearby area that does not meet the Pb NAAQS. EPA is deferring designation for all other areas of the United States, including Indian country, pending collection and review of additional data from recently deployed Pb monitors. The Clean Air Act (CAA) requires areas designated nonattainment by this rule to undertake certain planning and pollution control activities to attain the standards as quickly as reasonably possible. The effective date of this rule is December 31, 2010.
EPA Finalizes Carbon Storage Rules
EPA has finalized two rules related to the capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide. Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) technologies have the potential to enable large emitters of carbon dioxide, such as coal fired power plants, to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This technology allows carbon dioxide to be captured at stationary sources like power plants and large industrial operations and injected underground for long-term storage in a process called geologic sequestration.
The new rules aim to protect drinking water and track the amount of carbon dioxide that is sequestered from facilities that carry out geologic sequestration. Together, these actions are consistent with the recommendations made by President Obama’s interagency task force on this topic and help create a consistent national framework to ensure the safe and effective deployment of technologies that will help position the United States as a leader in the global clean energy race.
“Today the Obama Administration reaffirmed its commitment to leading the way in the clean energy future. We’re taking a major step towards path breaking innovations that will reduce greenhouse gases and put America in the forefront of the clean energy economy,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “By providing clarity about greenhouse gas reporting and the necessary protections for drinking water sources during carbon sequestration, we’ve cleared the way for people to use this promising technology.”
In August 2010, President Obama’s Interagency Task Force on Carbon Capture and Storage, co-chaired by the EPA, delivered a series of recommendations to the president on overcoming the barriers to the widespread, cost-effective deployment of CCS within 10 years. The task force concluded that the rules being announced were an important part of the strategy to promote development of this technology. CCS can play an important role in domestic GHG emissions reductions while preserving the option of using coal and other abundant domestic fossil energy resources.
Drinking Water Protection—EPA finalized a rule that sets requirements for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide, including the development of a new class of injection well called Class VI, established under EPA’s Underground Injection Control (UIC) Program. The rule requirements are designed to ensure that wells used for geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide are appropriately sited, constructed, tested, monitored, and closed. The UIC Program was established under the authority of the Safe Drinking Water Act.
GHG Reporting—EPA also finalized a rule on the GHG reporting requirements for facilities that carry out geologic sequestration. Information gathered under the GHG Reporting Program will enable EPA to track the amount of carbon dioxide sequestered by these facilities. The program was established in 2009 under authority of the CAA and requires reporting of GHG from various source categories in the United States.
EPA Gets $270 Million for Cleanup Costs from Bankrupt Chemical Manufacturer
EPA, the U.S. Justice Department, and the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York have announced that Tronox Incorporated has agreed to resolve its environmental liabilities for $270 million and 88% of Tronox’s interest in a pending litigation. The bankruptcy settlement will reimburse EPA for past cleanup costs and fund future cleanups at contaminated sites across the country.
Tronox and 14 of its affiliates filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code on January 12, 2009 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. At the time of the bankruptcy filing, the company was potentially responsible for past costs incurred and future response costs under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA, commonly known as Superfund) and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) relating to sites throughout the country, as well as for penalties under the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act.
Under the terms of the settlement, Tronox will pay $270 million in cash. The majority of the funding will be placed in five environmental response trusts for the cleanup of numerous sites, most of which have been contaminated with hazardous substances or waste. Non-cash assets, such as insurance and financial assurance assets worth at least $50 million, including property located in Henderson, Nevada, will also be provided by Tronox to the environmental response trusts.
Tronox, a Delaware corporation based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is a multi-national chemical company that makes and sells titanium dioxide and other specialty chemicals used in plastics, paper, and inks. The company has customers located in more than 90 countries and operates in North America, Europe, and Australia. Tronox was created through a spin-off from the Kerr-McGee Corporation. Several months after the spin-off was completed, Anardarko Petroleum Corporation purchased Kerr-McGee for $18 billion.
Tronox is currently involved in litigation against Anadarko and Kerr-McGee over allegations that those companies imposed years worth of legacy liabilities, including environmental obligations on Tronox, leaving Tronox insolvent and undercapitalized. The trial is expected to begin in late 2011 or early 2012.
Before being considered by the bankruptcy court for approval, the settlement will be lodged with the bankruptcy court for a period of 30 days to provide public notice and to afford members of the public the opportunity to comment on the settlement.
CVS to Pay $268,900 for Water Discharges Containing Pharmaceuticals and Photo Processing Solutions
The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has announced a comprehensive settlement with CVS in Connecticut under which the national retail chain will pay penalties of $268,900 for numerous violations of environmental regulations at its stores as well as making major improvements in its environmental practices. The violations involve the improper discharge of wastewaters containing materials used in the processing of photographs and wastewaters containing pharmaceuticals.
DEP Commissioner Amey Marrella said, “This case shows the importance of monitoring compliance with laws designed to protect natural resources and the public health. CVS simply failed to ensure the proper handling of wastewater from processing photos and failed to ensure the proper and safe disposal of pharmaceutical products. The company is now taking steps to change its business practices and come into compliance with the law.”
“Discharging waste water from photo processing without making proper use of systems designed to capture and recycle silver and silver byproducts can result in excessive amounts of this chemical being discharged into the environment. These byproducts then pose a threat to the waters and natural resources of our state,” Commissioner Marrella said. “In addition, we know that disposing of pharmaceuticals into septic and sewer systems is not the best practice and can have a negative impact on aquatic life. We are learning that even after wastewater is treated, trace amounts of pharmaceuticals can make their way into our waters where they have a negative impact on aquatic life.”
Under the agreement, CVS will pay $223,900 to the State’s General Fund and $45,000 for a Supplemental Environmental Project (SEP). These SEP funds will be used by the Connecticut Fund for the Environment (CFE) to study the potential for reducing the amount of stormwater that enters the sewer systems in New Haven and Bridgeport. The sewer systems in these cities—which collect both storm water and domestic sewage—become overwhelmed during heavy rains, which can release untreated sewage into rivers, streams, and Long Island Sound.
CVS Pharmacy, Inc., is a Rhode Island corporation, and the parent company of Connecticut CVS Pharmacy, L.L.C. The LLC owns and operates approximately 140 stores in Connecticut offering on-site film development, pharmacy, and over-the-counter health and beauty product services.
Ohio Valley Electric Corporation Will Pay $50,000 for Ammonia Spill
In a settlement with Ohio EPA, the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation (OVEC) has agreed to pay $50,000 for last year’s spill of ammonia into Kyger Creek from OVEC’s Gallia County facility, located at 5758 State Route 7 near Cheshire in Addison Township.
On July 25, 2009, OVEC determined that it was necessary to drain ammonia solution from its ammonia-on-demand tank to its south fly ash pond. This activity was not reported to Ohio EPA. The tank draining continued for two days until OVEC noticed several dead fish in the pond and stopped the draining process.
The company did not notify Ohio EPA about the high concentration of ammonia discharged from the pond to Kyger Creek or the subsequent fish kill. An anonymous caller notified Ohio EPA of dead fish in the creek on July 27, 2009. Ohio EPA and Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) investigated. ODNR found 4,917 dead fish, including large catfish, in the 1.5 miles between the OVEC pond’s discharge point and the Ohio River. Ohio EPA sampled the creek and confirmed that ammonia concentrations downstream of the pond were lethal to aquatic species.
OVEC explained to Ohio EPA that the tank solution was intended to undergo retention time and mixing in the pond and not be discharged directly to Kyger Creek. OVEC began exploring ways to reduce the tank level and dispose of the solution without using the pond.
As part of the settlement with OVEC, the company agreed to implement an approved plan for eliminating similar ammonia solution discharges to waters of the state. OVEC also agreed to pay $50,000 in civil penalties, $10,000 of which will go to Ohio EPA’s Clean Diesel School Bus Program Fund. The remaining $40,000 will go to the administration of surface water programs. OVEC has already paid $2,085 to ODNR for the cost of the dead fish and ODNR’s investigation.
Buckhorn Mine Fined for Submitting Inaccurate Water Discharge Test Results
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has fined Crown Resources Corp., a subsidiary of Kinross Gold Co., $22,000 for submitting inaccurate water discharge test results at its gold mine project on Buckhorn Mountain near Chesaw, Washington.
The reporting errors violate the project’s water quality permit, which requires the company to capture and route water from the underground mine to a treatment plant before discharging it to waters of the state.
The gold mine’s water and stormwater management systems are designed to control, treat, and dispose of waters associated with the mining. Sources of water at the mine include underground mine dewatering and wells, drainage from the ore and development rock, and stormwater runoff from industrial and non-industrial areas at the mine site.
The permit requires the company to collect discharge water samples every two weeks. The inaccurate reports to Ecology occurred from samples the company collected in 2009 from May–August.
Charlie McKinney, a water quality manager in Ecology’s Yakima office stated, “We have every expectation that this mining project can and will operate in a way that protects nearby surface and underground water supplies.”
To the company’s credit, it discovered the errors, conducted their own internal investigation, and notified us, McKinney added.
Doug Jones, Crown Resources vice president and general manager said, “The past inaccuracies have been fully addressed by the company, and there have been no issues with the water treatment plant since August 2009. We have taken numerous actions to ensure continued future compliance with all permits and authorizations.”
Western Refining Southwest, Inc. Fined for Illegally Disposing Hazardous Waste and Improper Sampling
EPA has fined Western Refining Southwest, Inc., in Tempe, Arizona, for failing to adequately monitor benzene discharges and illegally disposing hazardous waste. The company was found to be out of compliance with a Consent Agreement and Final Order (CAFO) filed in August 2009.
“It is important to everyone that companies are following proper protocols needed to protect the environment and public health,” said EPA Regional Administrator Al Armendariz. “When facilities fail to follow the rules, EPA will act quickly to ensure compliance with the law.”
Western has received two noncompliance letters from the EPA within the past two months. The first letter of noncompliance dated September 24, 2010, was for improper sampling on August 20-22, 2010 and exceeding benzene levels in wastewater on June 24–25 and August 23, 2010.
The second letter dated November 1, 2010, related to similar offenses of improper collection of samples on September 3–7 and improper disposal of hazardous waste on September 30, 2010.
Western has 30 days to pay levied fines after of receiving notification letters.
Western operates a petroleum refinery in Jamestown, New Mexico, approximately 17 miles east of Gallup. The refinery had multiple violations stemming from its storage and treatment of hazardous waste containing benzene, a human carcinogen present in petroleum.
In 2009, EPA and the New Mexico Environmental Department (NMED) brought the violations to the attention of Western. Western agreed to pay $734,008, cease all discharges of benzene, and close two aeration lagoons that received hazardous waste.
Heartland Plating Co. Ordered to Address Hazardous Waste Issues
EPA Region 7 has ordered Heartland Plating Co., and its owners to immediately address a series of issues related to the improper storage and management of hazardous wastes at the company’s metal electroplating facility in Bettendorf, Iowa. In October, EPA representatives inspected Heartland Plating’s operations at 3900 Elm Street in Bettendorf, and documented numerous spilled and abandoned materials for which the company’s representatives could not provide complete and accurate hazardous waste determinations.
Based on container labels and information provided by Heartland employees, EPA inspectors were able to determine the company was storing or treating a number of wastes, including chromium, zinc, cyanide, cobalt, potassium permanganate, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide, and hydrogen peroxide.
A unilateral administrative order has been issued, requiring Heartland Plating and its owners, Marion Patigler and the Estate of Gerhard Patigler, to take several immediate actions to address violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (). The order directs the respondents to refrain from removing or relocating materials currently located at the facility until EPA determines the waste is being handled safely; immediately certify compliance with hazardous waste regulations or halt the generation and management of wastes until such certification can be made; identify all solid and hazardous wastes currently being treated, stored, or disposed at the facility; and restrict access to areas of the property where solid and hazardous wastes have been stored or disposed, and to areas where hazardous material has been released.
They must also undertake an immediate cleanup of any hazardous releases on the property, as well as a cleanup of the building and any surrounding areas that may be contaminated.
Green Chemistry Forum for New England Scientists
The forum is a free event meant to support and help further develop a network of cutting-edge scientists engaged in finding safer, less-toxic chemical uses to advance sustainability in our society.
Green Chemistry is the design, development, and implementation of products, materials, and processes to reduce or eliminate the use and generation of toxic and hazardous waste. Green Chemistry is a philosophy and approach to design new materials and products derived from renewable feedstock. Green Chemistry considers the entire life cycle of the materials and products manufactured.
The networking forum will take place from 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. on December 16, 2010, at the MIT Faculty Club, 6th Floor, 50 Memorial Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
EPA is launching a New England Green Challenge, with a goal to broaden the understanding and adoption of green chemistry practices and principles in business, education, government, health care, and society as a catalyst to grow a sustainable economy in New England and beyond. Some goals include understanding the interrelationship of green chemistry and sustainability, supporting a transformative dialogue about new ways to achieve a safe and green sustainable future and fostering a New England economy that is based on local resources, labor force, research capacity, and expert knowledge.
“We are excited to promote and advance Green Chemistry solutions, because it is clear that rigorous creativity helps foster major improvements in important areas such as use of safer and less-toxic chemicals and better energy efficiency,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “Common sense tells us that better efficiencies and improvements translate to a healthier bottom line for companies, a sound economy for our region and healthier communities with a better protected environment.”
The forum will feature Curt Spalding, EPA New England regional administrator; and Green Chemistry leaders, Dr. Paul Anastas, Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development and the Science Advisor to the Agency, and John Warner, President and Chief Technology Officer, Warner Babcock Institute for Green Chemistry.
There is no cost for the Forum, however registration is required by December 10, 2010.
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Trivia Question of the Week
Which generates more greenhouse gas emissions, the average house or average car?a. They are about the same
b. The average house
c. The average car
d. The greenhouse effect purported to cause global warming has not been proven