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Dupont to Pay $69,000 for Hazardous Waste Monitoring Violation at Belle, W.Va. Plant

Release Date: 2/11/1999
Contact Information: Ruth Podems (215) 814-5540

BELLE, W.Va. - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that E.I. DuPont de Nemours and Company, Inc. has agreed to a pay a $69,000 penalty to settle EPA’s complaint that the company violated hazardous waste monitoring regulations at its Belle, W. Va. chemical plant.  

EPA’s April 1998 administrative complaint cited the Delaware-based chemical company for violating federal regulations of boilers and industrial furnaces.  Specifically, EPA alleged that DuPont failed to accurately record the feed rates of hazardous wastes burned in an on-site boiler.  This boiler is one of several steam generating boilers at the plant, but the only one that burns hazardous waste.  The violations came to light after DuPont reported a flow meter malfunction to EPA.

EPA originally sought a $263,800 penalty, but the agency agreed to a reduced settlement amount because the company reported and promptly corrected the violation, and took steps to prevent future exceedances of ash feed rates.  DuPont also presented evidence that its conduct did not pose a major potential for harm to human health and the environment.

DuPont was cited under the principle federal statute regulating the treatment, storage, and disposal of hazardous waste.  The statute’s "cradle to grave" regulation of hazardous wastes is designed to prevent costly hazardous waster cleanups by requiring the safe, environmentally sound disposal of hazardous materials.


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