EPA v. I. H. SCHLEZINGER, INC

Case summary

U.S. EPA Region 5 entered into an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) with I.H. Schlezinger, Inc. (Schlezinger) to resolve violations of the Clean Air Act (CAA) at its Parsons Avenue Scrap Metal Recycling Facility in Columbus, Ohio. EPA alleged that Schlezinger accepted for recycling small appliances, such as refrigerators and room air conditioners, and motor vehicle air conditioners (MVACs) that contained or once contained ozone-depleting refrigerants, without either recovering the refrigerant from the appliances and MVACs or verifying that the refrigerant had been properly recovered prior to sale to Schlezinger, in violation of regulations found at 40 CFR 82.156. The ACO requires Schlezinger to obtain refrigerant recovery equipment and to properly recover the refrigerant from appliances it accepts for scrap recycling at its Parsons Avenue facility if the appliances and MVACs have not been properly evacuated of refrigerant by a certified technician prior to delivery to Schlezinger. If the appliance or MVAC has had the refrigerant properly evacuated by a certified technician, Schlezinger must verify this in writing before accepting the item for recycling. Schlezinger's verification and refrigerant recovery program is estimated to prevent a minimum of 120 lbs of ozone-depleting refrigerants from being released to the atmosphere per year. Since the refrigerants used in small appliances are also 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)

• I. H. SCHLEZINGER, INCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• I. H. SCHLEZINGER, INC

  2040 PARSONS AVENUE, COLUMBUS, OH, 43207

  Registry ID: 110043974250

Statutes cited

• CAA 608 — National Recycling & Emission Reduction Program

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• I. H. SCHLEZINGER, INCentered 2011-11-16

  Primary law: CAA

Timeline (3 milestones)

• 2011-11-16Final Order Issued
• 2012-01-09Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2013-12-30Air Resolved