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Los Angeles chemical firm agrees to pay U.S. EPA $53,749 to resolve reporting violations

Release Date: 3/2/2005
Contact Information: Francisco Arcaute, (213) 244-1815, Cell: (213) 798-1404, Main press line: (415) 947-8700

LOS ANGELES - Cherokee Chemical Co. Inc., of Los Angeles, has agreed to pay the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency $53,749 for failing to submit toxic chemical release forms, a violation of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act.

"These right-to-know reports give the public valuable information on chemicals being released in their communities," said Enrique Manzanilla, the EPA's Cross Media Division director for the Pacific Southwest. "This penalty should remind others that we are maintaining a close watch over chemical reporting practices and are serious about enforcing community right-to-know laws."

The EPA inspected Cherokee Chemical Co. - which blends and repackages chemicals for the water treatment and sanitation industries - in February of 2004. Upon reviewing Cherokee Chemical Co.'s management records, the EPA discovered that the firm had failed to submit a timely toxic chemical release inventory reporting form for sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate and glycol ethers in 2000-2002; and for sodium nitrite in 2001 and 2002.

Sodium dimethyldithiocarbamate is used in disinfectants and insecticides; it is considered a developmental toxicant which may cause negative effects on developing children. Glycol ethers are used in aerosol paints and agricultural chemicals, and are considered to be cardiovascular toxicants which may cause negative effects on human blood systems. Sodium nitrite can be used as a corrosion inhibitor in the manufacturing and metalworking industries and is also a developmental toxicant.

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act establishes requirements for toxic chemical release reporting.

For more information on the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory Program, visit: https://www.epa.gov/tri