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EPA Settles Case with West Hartford, Conn. Property Owner for Violations of Toxic Substances Laws

Release Date: 09/19/2006
Contact Information: Sheryl Rosner, (617) 918-1865

(Boston, Mass. – Sept. 19, 2006) EPA announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with Danny Corp. a West Hartford, Connecticut property owner, for environmental violations of toxic substances laws at its property located at 500 Flatbush Avenue, Hartford, CT.

The EPA agreement requires Danny Corp. to pay a $61,200 penalty and conduct a site-wide investigation and cleanup of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) – a toxic substance.

“This agreement will put in place a long-term plan that will end over fifteen years of environmental violations at this site,” stated Robert W. Varney, EPA’s regional administrator. “We are glad to see the property owners step up to the plate to take responsibility for environmental violations that are occurring on their property.”

The case arose from over fifteen years ago when the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (CTDEP) issued a Compliance Order to Aerospace Metals, Inc., the previous property owner, which operated a business that processed aerospace turnings into alloy grades for recycling. The state Order required the company to address releases of PCBs from the site. In response to the Order, Aerospace Metals constructed a PCB recovery system, which ultimately resulted in the violations that were cited in current action. The violations cited in the Complaint were discovered in inspections conducted by CTDEP in 2005. Danny Corp. has already decommissioned the parts of the PCB recovery system that gave rise to the violations.

Today’s announcement of EPA’s enforcement action both initiates and completes the case with the filing of a combined administrative Complaint and Consent Agreement and Final Order under the Toxics Substances and Control Act (TSCA). The Complaint cites five violations including: a PCB release, failure to decontaminate a vacuum truck and hoses prior to use, and violations of labeling and record-keeping requirements for PCB waste stored for more than 30 days.

PCBs are no longer manufactured, but are still in use as non-conductive, fire-resistant additives to coolant liquids in heavy electrical equipment. These compounds are persistent in the environment and suspected carcinogens. Exposure to PCBs can cause liver problems and skin rashes.

To learn more about PCBs visit: https://www.epa.gov/opptintr/pcb/

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