EPA v. AFFINITY RESEARCH CHEMICALS, INC.

Case summary

On September 03, 2024, EPA Region III filed an Expedited Settlement Agreement and Final Order, simultaneously commencing and concluding an administrative action proceeding against Affinity Research Chemicals, Inc. ( Affinity ) located at 406 Meco Drive, Wilmington, Delaware ( Facility ) for violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act ( RCRA ) and the authorized State of Delaware Hazardous Waste Management Program discovered during EPA's compliance evaluation inspection of the Facility on February 7, 2024. RCRA gives EPA the authority to control hazardous waste from the cradle-to-grave . This includes the generation, transportation, treatment, storage and disposal of hazardous waste. To that end, EPA develops regulations, guidance and policies that ensure the safe management and cleanup of solid and hazardous waste, and programs that encourage source reduction and beneficial reuse. Affinity synthesizes specific molecules for research at pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Hazardous waste is generated through its molecule synthesizing laboratory processes. The violations in the settlement include operation without a hazardous waste permit, storing hazardous waste more than 270 days, failure to have a satellite accumulation area at the point of generation, failure to label a container with hazardous waste, and failure to maintain documentation of weekly inspections of the hazardous waste accumulation area. Region 3 notified DNREC, which had no objections to this action. Per the terms of the Expediated Settlement Agreement, Affinity will pay a civil penalty in the amount of $5,000.00.

Defendants (1)

• AFFINITY RESEARCH CHEMICALS, INC.Named in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (2)

• AFFINITY RESEARCH CHEMICALS, INC.

  406 MECO DRIVE, WILMINGTON, DE, 19804

  Registry ID: 110002509376

• MODERN PRESS INC

  406 MECO DR, WILMINGTON, DE, 19804

  Registry ID: 110002509376

Statutes cited

• RCRA 3004 — Hazardous Waste Treatment, Storage, and Disposal Standards
• RCRA 3002 — Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• AFFINITY RESEARCH CHEMICALS, INC.entered 2024-09-03

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $5,000

Timeline (4 milestones)

• 2024-09-03Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2024-09-03Final Order Issued
• 2024-09-11Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2024-09-17Enforcement Action Closed