EPA v. ACE IRON AND METAL

Case summary

U.S. EPA Region 5 issued an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) to Ace Iron & Metal (Ace) to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA). EPA alleged that Ace accepted for recycling small appliances, such as refrigerators and room air conditioners, that contained or once contained ozone-depleting refrigerants, without either recovering the refrigerant from the appliances or verifying that the refrigerant had been properly recovered prior to sale to Ace, in violation of regulations found at 40 CFR 82.156. The ACO requires Ace to obtain refrigerant recovery equipment and to properly recover the refrigerant from appliances it accepts for scrap recycling at its Columbus, Ohio facility. Ace's refrigerant recovery program is estimated to recover a minimum of 120 lbs of ozone-depleting refrigerants per year. Since the refrigerants used in small appliances also are potent global-warming gases, these resolutions will, in addition to protecting the ozone layer, have the added benefit of reducing the emissions of greenhouse gases equivalent to removing approximately 60 SUVs from the road for a year.

Defendants (1)

• ACE IRON AND METALNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• ACE IRON AND METAL

  2515 GROVEPORT RD, COLUMBUS, OH, 43207

  Registry ID: 110032751617

Statutes cited

• CAA 608 — National Recycling & Emission Reduction Program

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• ACE IRON AND METALentered 2011-09-29

  Primary law: CAA

Timeline (2 milestones)

• 2011-09-29Final Order Issued
• 2011-09-30Enforcement Action Data Entered