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U.S. EPA settles with Stockton company for chemical release reporting violations

Release Date: 9/30/2004
Contact Information: Laura Gentile, 415-947-4227

SAN FRANCISCO – This week the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached a $7,700 settlement with California Cedar Products Company for allegedly failing to report the amount of copper compounds the company processed at its Stockton, Calif. facility in 2001 and 2002 to the toxics release inventory, a violation of the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

Federal law requires that certain facilities using toxic chemicals over specified amounts file annual reports of their chemical releases with the EPA and the state. Information from these reports is then compiled into a national database and made available to the public.

"These reports provide the public with valuable information about the toxic chemicals being released in their communities,” said Enrique Manzanilla, the EPA’s Cross Media Division director for the Pacific Southwest. "This case should remind others that the EPA is maintaining a close watch over chemical reporting practices and is serious about enforcing community right-to-know laws."

The EPA became aware of the violations during an inspection of the Stockton facility in April of this year.

Copper is essential for good health, but high amounts can be harmful. Long-term exposure to copper dust can irritate your nose, mouth, and eyes, and cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and diarrhea.

Each year the EPA publishes a report entitled the Toxic Release Inventory Public Data Release, which summarizes the prior year’s submissions and provides a trend analysis of toxic chemical releases.

For more information on the program visit: https://www.epa.gov/tri. The EPA’s environmental databases, including TRI data, can be accessed at: https://www.epa.gov/enviro.