EPA v. INNOSPEC ACTIVE CHEMICALS, LLC,

Case summary

8/13/20 - CONSENT AGREEMENT AND FINAL ORDER - At the time of the June 21, 2019 inspection.Respondent was generating a spent methanol and isopropyl alcohol (IPA) solvent waste mixture as a result of cleaning process tanks used to manufacture calcium and sodium docusates at its facility. The spent methanol and IPA solvent mixture has a flashpoint of less than 140 degrees Fahrenheit and is a D001 characteristic and F003 listed hazardous waste.Respondent had not determined that the spent methanol and IPA solvent mixture was a D001 characteristic and F003 listed hazardous waste and had not determined whether the waste met the LDR treatment standards. Respondent was sending the spent methanol and IPA solvent mixture off-site without a hazardous waste manifest or a land disposal restriction notice. The spent methanol and IPA solvent waste mixture had been sent off-site without a hazardous waste manifest or accompanying land disposal restriction notice on thirty separate occasions beginning on January 16, 2015. At the time of the August 6, 2019 CEI, a 275 gallon container was observed within an SAA located in the immediate vicinity of the process tanks that were cleaned with methanol between production batches of sodium and calcium docusate. The 275-gallon container was collecting spent methanol and IPA hazardous waste. The container was labeled with the words Hazardous Waste and marked with an accumulation start date of less than three days from the time of the CEI. Spent methanol and IPA hazardous waste was not being added to the 275-gallon container at the time of the CEI and the container was observed to be open. At the time of the August 6, 2019 CEI, containers of hazardous waste in Respondent's upstairs and downstairs laboratories' SAAs were not labeled with the words Hazardous Waste.

Defendants (2)

• INNOSPEC ACTIVE CHEMICALSNamed in complaintNamed in settlement
• INNOSPEC ACTIVE CHEMICALSNamed in complaint

Facilities (1)

• INNOSPEC PERFORMANCE CHEMICALS US CO

  775 HACKETT STREET# ATI 85, SPENCER, NC, 28159

  Registry ID: 110000349114

Statutes cited

• RCRA 3002 — Standards Applicable to Generators of Hazardous Waste

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• INNOSPEC ACTIVE CHEMICALS, LLC,entered 2020-08-13

  Primary law: RCRA

  Federal penalty: $68,000

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 2020-08-13Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2020-08-13Final Order Issued
• 2020-09-08Enforcement Action Data Entered