EPA v. CHEMPLATE CORPORATION

Case summary

THE DEF. IN THE PROPOSED CIV. ACTION IS CHEMPLATE CORP. CHEMPLATE OWNS & OPERATES AN ELECTROPLATING FACILITY IN LOS ANGELES, CA. THE FACILITY DISCHARGES PROCESS WASTEWATER INTO THE JOINT WATER POLLUTION CONTROL PLANT (JWPCP) OWNED & OPER ATED BY THE L.A. COUNTY SANITATION DISTRICTS (LACSD) WHERE IT IS TREATED PRIOR TO BEING DISCHARGED INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN. THE JWPCP OPERATES UNDER EXISTING NPDES PERMIT # CA00 53813. CHEMPLATE IS NOT REQUIRED TO OBTAIN A NPDES PERMIT FOR THE PLANT BECAUSE IT DISCHARGES INTO A PUBLICLY OWNED TREATMENT WORKS (POTW). AS AN INDUSTRY WHICH DISCHARGES INTO A POTW, CHEMPLATE IS REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH THE PRETREATMEN T REQUIREMENTS OF CWA/307. THE BASELINE MONITORING REPORTS CHEMPLATE SUBMITTED TO LACSD INDICATE THAT CHEMPLATE IS DISCHARGING HEAVY METALS INTO THE JWPCP IN EXCESS OF THE PRETREATMENT STANDARDS FOR EXISTING ELECTROPLATING FACILITIES - 40 C.F.R. S 413. CHEM- ICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED ON CHEMPLATE'S DISCHARGE CONFIRMED THE OCCURRENCE OF EFFLUENT VIOLATIONS FOR NICKEL, CHROMIUM, COPPER, ZINC, CYANIDE AND TOTAL METALS. THESE POLLUTANTS ARE TOXIC & MANY ARE BIOACCUMULATIVE. THE MOST FLAGRANT VIOLA- TIONS WERE THE DISCHARGES OF CONSISTENTLY HIGH LEVELS OF NICKEL AND TOTAL METALS. BASED ON SAMPLING DATA & INSPECTION OF THE FACILITY, EPA REG. 9 BELIEVES THAT CHEMPLATE WILL BE IN CONTINUOUS VIOLATION OF THE ELECTROPLATING PRETRTMNT STAN DARDS UNTIL IT COMPLETELY IMPLEMENTS ITS PROPOSED PRETRTMNT SYSTEM. THE DEADLINE FOR ACHIEVING FINAL COMPLIANCE WITH THE PRETRTMNT STANDARDS WAS 4/27/84. CHEMPLATE PROJECTS IT WILL NOT ACHIEVE FINAL COMPLIANCE UNTIL 7/15/85. THE RELIEF SOUGHT IN THE PROPOSED ACTION IS AN ORDER REQUI RING COMPLIANCE WITH THE ELECTROPLATING PRETRTMNT STANDARDS AND PAYMENT OF AN APPROPRIATE CIVIL PENALTY.

Defendants (1)

• CHEMPLATE CORPORATIONNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (1)

• OEM PLATING & MANUFACTURING CORPORATION

  4355 E. SHEILA ST., COMMERCE, CA, 90040

  Registry ID: 110002630877

Statutes cited

• CWA 301/307 — Effluent Limitations - NPDES Toxic & Pretreatment Effluent Standards

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• CHEMPLATEentered 1987-04-29

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $22,000

Timeline (8 milestones)

• 1985-04-21Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 1985-06-19Referred To Headquarters
• 1985-07-12Referred To Dept Of Justice
• 1985-12-03Complaint Filed With Court
• 1987-04-29Final Order Lodged
• 1987-04-29Final Order Entered
• 1987-04-29Concluded
• 1989-01-10Enforcement Action Closed