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U.S. EPA reaches $50,000 settlement with parts cleaning company for air toxic emission control violations

Release Date: 3/9/2004
Contact Information: Wendy Chavez, (415) 947-4248

SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently settled a case with a Phoenix facility for $50,000 over violations of federal standards for air toxics emissions.

Triumph Components, Inc., which is based in Delaware, will pay the fine for violations of the Clean Air Act that governs how much halogenated solvent, such as trichloroethylene (TCE), a company can emit from machines used in its operations.

"Companies with degreasing operations must comply with air pollution laws so their operations don't release more toxics than allowed by the EPA's technology based standard," said Deborah Jordan, director of the EPA's Air Division for the Pacific Southwest region. "I hope the EPA's action here sends a clear message to companies that they will face federal enforcement if they fail to control emissions from halogenated solvent degreasing operations."

Triumph failed to submit initial notification of its degreasing operations and its compliance method. The company also failed to monitor the speed of the automated parts handling system to minimize drips and vapors, and failed to submit annual emissions reports. An employee also failed to pass a test of solvent cleaning operations required in the regulations.

Potential health effects resulting from exposure to hazardous air pollutants such as TCE include leukemia and other cancers, and reproductive and developmental effects. Halogenated solvents can emit volatile organic compounds, a key component of smog.

The EPA began inspecting the degreasing companies in Arizona in January 2003. The EPA has taken four enforcement actions within the last six months against Arizona companies for similar violations.

For more information, visit: https://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/eparules.html
https://www.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/civil/caa/neshapguid.html