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U.S. EPA, South Coast Air District settle with L.A. foam maker for $369,000 over air quality violations

Release Date: 11/22/2005
Contact Information: Francisco Arcaute, (213) 244-1815, Cell: (213) 798-1404

LOS ANGELES -- As part of a recent settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, a Los Angeles foam manufacturer will pay $369,000 for air pollution violations.

Under the terms of the joint settlement agreement, Falcon Foam decided to terminate its manufacturing operations by December 31, 2005 rather than install emissions controls. Falcon Foam produces expanded polystyrene foam used in the building industry at its facility on 14104 Towne Ave, Los Angeles, Calif.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District, which has jurisdiction over air permits in the Los Angeles Basin, requires that manufacturing and storage emissions be limited to no more than 2.4 lbs of volatile organic compounds per 100 lbs of raw materials used in the process or be controlled through the use of an adequate air pollution control device. Falcon Foam, a division of Atlas Roofing, did not meet this limit.

"Companies like Falcon Foam must comply with the Clean Air Act and local air quality rules to prevent volatile organic compounds from contributing to air pollution," said Deborah Jordan, the EPA's Air Division director for the Pacific Southwest region. "We will continue to pursue joint enforcement actions with local air districts in order to protect air quality."

Volatile organic compounds react with other pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, or "NOX," in the presence of sunlight to form ozone, or smog.

For more information on the EPA's Air Office, please visit: https://www.epa.gov/region09/air/index.html