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EPA Orders Waterbury, Conn., Company to Comply with TCE Emissions Standards

Release Date: 10/30/2000
Contact Information: Amy Miller, EPA Press Office (617-918-1042)

BOSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that it has ordered a Waterbury, Conn., company that manufactures superconducting wire to come into compliance with laws regarding emission of trichloroethylene (TCE).

According to the administrative order, IGC Advanced Superconductors failed to comply with federal air laws regulating toxic emissions from its vapor degreaser. The Clean Air Act requires companies that emit TCE to install and operate control equipment to limit emissions. IGC had control equipment installed but failed to perform the required monitoring and record keeping to show compliance with the standard.

IGC, which is located in an old mill complex along the Naugatuck River, manufactures wire used in making MRI units and other devices where superconductivity is required. The company operates a vapor degreaser with a capacity of roughly 165 gallons, which is used to clean copper parts prior to making the wire. This degreaser uses TCE, which is regulated by federal air laws.

"TCE is a toxic chemical that threatens the public health by causing lung, nerve, kidney, and liver damage if it is inhaled for long periods of time" said Mindy S. Lubber, Regional Administrator of EPA New England. "IGC's failed to comply with Clean Air Act and laws designed to protect the public from the toxic effects of TCE."

Even when inhaled for short periods of time, TCE can cause headaches, lung irritation, dizziness, poor coordination and difficulty concentrating.

The action against IGC stems from an August inspection of the company.