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EPA and Virginia Company Settle Clean Air Act Violations

Release Date: 07/23/2008
Contact Information: Terri White (215) 814-5523

(PHILADELPHIA, July 23, 2008) Celanese Acetate, L.L.C., a manufacturer of acetate products in Narrows, Va., will pay $60,000 to resolve alleged violations of the federal Clean Air Act. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency cited the company for problems related to the monitoring and repairing of equipment at Celanese's Celco plant located at 3520 Virginia Ave. in Narrows.

EPA alleges that in 2003 Celanese failed to perform a required test on a continuous emissions monitor for nitrogen oxides on a boiler at the Celco plant, in violation of the Clean Air Act and the Commonwealth of Virginia's State Implementation Plan for controlling nitrogen oxide pollution. In addition, the company failed to monitor valves, connectors, and heat exchangers; failed to repair a leaking connector; failed to cap an open-ended line; and failed to include all required information in its regulatory reporting documents. The failures also violate Celanese's operating permit mandated under the Clean Air Act.

Since these violations, Celanese has increased its efforts to monitor and detect for leaks of hazardous air pollutants.