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EPA Orders Rhode Island Electroplating Company to Come into Environmental Compliance

Release Date: 10/11/2001
Contact Information: Mark Merchant, EPA Press Office (617) 918-1013

BOSTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced it has ordered a Rhode Island company to comply with local and federal wastewater discharge requirements.

EPA's order requires Evans Plating – which has electroplating shops in Johnston and North Providence – to make modifications to its wastewater treatment system to prevent further violations. In addition, the company must start monitoring all the wastewater it sends to the Narragansett Bay Commission's treatment plant.

"The electroplating industry has the potential to do real harm to the environment, so actions like this are crucial to protecting it," said Robert W. Varney, regional administrator of EPA's New England office.

EPA has performed inspections at Evans's plants twice since January 1999. Based on the information collected during the inspections, EPA believes the company's violations may be a result of its failure to keep waste streams separated prior to wastewater treatment, not having an adequate wastewater treatment system, failure to maintain existing wastewater treatment equipment and not providing employee training.

At its North Providence plant between February 1996 and August 2001, Evans periodically introduced wastewaters into the Narraganset Bay Commission's wastewater treatment works that contained pollutants which exceeded the commission's and EPA's limits for total copper, nickel and cyanide.

At its Johnston facility between February 1996 and August 2001, the company periodically introduced wastewater into the commission's treatment plant that contained pollutants which violated the commission's limits for total zinc and chromium.

Finally, between 1996 and 1998, Evans periodically introduced wastewater from both its North Providence and Johnston facilities into the commission's wastewater treatment plant that violated the commission's and EPA's prohibition for pH.

This action against Evans Plating is part of a larger effort by EPA that includes assisting companies that clean or finish metal and educating them on relevant environmental regulations. EPA efforts to control pollution by the metal industry stems in part from regulations enacted in 1995 to regulate emissions of chromium, trichloroethylene and other toxic chemicals.

Much of the work with the metal industry is being done through EPA's Metal Finishing Strategic Goals Program, a three-year-old program that is encouraging metal finishers to meet aggressive pollution reduction goals by the year 2002. The national program was launched in partnership with industry groups, environmental groups and state and local regulators.

Companies that sign up for the program receive compliance and pollution prevention assistance. And, as companies work toward meeting the goals, they'll be rewarded with more flexible regulatory oversight from EPA and state environmental regulators.

More information on federal regulations and how to prevent pollution is available by calling EPA's Office of Assistance and Pollution Prevention at 1-617-918-1718 or visit the Web site epa.gov/region1