EPA v. OWENS CORNING INSULATING SYSTEMS

Case summary

Owens Corning owns and operates a wool fiberglass manufacturing facility located at 400 Case Avenue, Newark, Ohio (the Facility). Emission sources at the Facility include several wool fiberglass furnaces, forming processes, curing ovens, and cooling and trimming operations for processing fiberglass. On June 12, 2012, EPA issued Permit to Install (PTI) No. P0108954 to Owens Corning to remove federally-enforceable limitations for volatile organic compounds (VOC), which applied to, among other units, emission unit P066 (F-6 Oven) and P128 (F-6 Cooling Section). On September 26, 2013, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) issued PTI No. P0113568 to Owens Corning to increase the allowable VOC emission limits for the curing and cooling processes when employing non-phenolic binder. The PTI applies to, among other units, emission unit P055 (C-4 curing oven). On September 27, 2017, EPA issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to Owens Corning for violating emission limits established in accordance with the Ohio State Implementation Plan, and PTIs issued on June 12, 2012, and on September 26, 2013, respectively. Specifically, January 2013 stack test demonstrated that the F-6 Curing Oven P066 and F-6 Cooling Section P128 emitted VOC emissions in excess of 0.50 and 2.40 pound per ton of binder solids applied, respectively, when employing non-phenolic binder as required by the June 12, 2012 PTI. A November 5, 2013 stack test demonstrated that the C-4 Curing Oven P055 emitted VOC emissions in excess of the permitted limit of 1.0 pound per ton of binder solids applied when employing non-phenolic binder as required by the September 26, 2013 PTI. On December 18, 2018, EPA issued an Administrative Consent Order (ACO) resolving alleged violations of the Clean Air Act at the facility. Owens Corning has taken corrective action to remedy VOC emission violations and return to compliance, including the repair of the Regenerative Thermal Oxidizer (RTO) on the curing oven. This ACO requires Owens Corning to develop an Inspection and Maintenance Plan for the F-6 Curing Oven RTO and address the violations set forth in the Notice of Violation issued to Owens Corning on September 27, 2017. On April 20, 2019, EPA issued a CAFO to Owens Corning. This CAFO requires Owens Corning to pay a penalty of $97,865 and spend $58,000 on a Supplemental Environmental Project to replace roofing shingles with Energy Star rated roofing shingles at two residential properties in Newark, Ohio, and resolves the Notice of Violation issued to Owens Corning on September 27, 2017.

Defendants (1)

• OWENS CORNING INSULATING SYSTEMSNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• OWENS CORNING INSULATING SYSTEMS, LLC

  400 CASE AVE., NEWARK, OH, 430555893

  Registry ID: 110000498710

Statutes cited

• CAA 502 — Operating Permits (Title V)
• CAA 111 — New Source Performance Standards
• CAA 110 — Implementation Plan for National Primary and Secondary Ambient Air Quality Standards

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• OWENS CORNING INSULATING SYSTEMSentered 2019-04-26

  Primary law: CAA

  Federal penalty: $97,865 · SEP: $58,000

Timeline (5 milestones)

• 2019-04-26Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2019-04-26Final Order Issued
• 2019-05-03Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2019-06-12Enforcement Action Closed
• 2019-06-12Air Resolved