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EPA fines radiator manufacturer $7,806 for toxic chemical release reporting violations

Release Date: 2/9/2004
Contact Information: Wendy L. Chavez, (415) 947-4248

SAN FRANCISCO -- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today fined a South Phoenix radiator manufacturer $7,806 for allegedly failing to report the amount of toxic chemicals released at its facility, a violation of the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

Super Radiator Coils failed to file timely reports for the 20,626 pounds of tetrachloroethylene, also known as perchloroethylene (PCE), used in 2000 and 21,898 pounds in 2001. The facility used PCE in its degreasing operations in connection with the manufacture of custom radiator coils.

EPA inspectors discovered the violations during a routine inspection in February 2003.

"The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act requires accurate and timely reporting, and enforcing this regulation is a priority for the EPA," said Enrique Manzanilla, director of the EPA's Cross Media Division for the Pacific Southwest region. "When companies do not comply with these regulations, they have defeated one purpose of the act -- which is to inform the public about releases of toxic chemicals in their communities."

Federal law requires certain facilities using chemicals over certain amounts to file annual reports of chemical releases with the EPA and the state. The reports estimate the amounts of each toxic chemical released to the environment, treated or recycled on-site, or transferred off-site for waste management. Information is then compiled into a national database and made available to the public.

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

For more information on the program, call (800) 424-9346 or visit: https://www.epa.gov/tri. The U.S. EPA's environmental databases, including TRI data, can be accessed at: https://www.epa.gov/enviro.