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Boars Head to Pay $34,450 for Not Reporting Chemical Storage at Virginia Meat Plant

Release Date: 2/23/1999
Contact Information: Ruth Podems, (215) 814-5540

JARRATT, Va. - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that Boar’s Head Provisions Co., Inc. has agreed to pay a $34,450 penalty to settle EPA’s claim that the company failed to report the storage of hazardous chemicals at its Jarratt, Va. meat processing plant.

In a September 30, 1998 administrative complaint, EPA alleged that Boars Head failed to submit required reports for its storage of approximately 105,000 pounds of No. 2 fuel oil, 60,000 pounds of carbon dioxide, 10,000 to 14,000 pounds of propane, and 18,750 to 32,053 pounds of anhydrous ammonia.

The company was cited under the federal Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA), which protects the public health and environment from accidental releases of hazardous and toxic chemicals.  EPCRA requires companies that store over a threshold quantity of hazardous chemicals to file "material safety data sheets" (MSDS) -- or list of chemicals requiring MSDSs -- with the state and local emergency response agency and the local fire department.  The MSDS describes the health risks  associated with the chemical, and safety precautions for handling or accidental exposure.

EPCRA also requires companies to annually update state and local emergency response agencies, and the local fire department, on the maximum and average amount of hazardous chemicals present at the facility.  

EPA alleged that the company failed to file the required MSDS reports and annual reports on these chemicals.  The alleged violations, which occurred in 1994 through 1997, were discovered during a September 1997 inspection.  The settlement was finalized on February 17, 1999.  (Note: The complaint alleged reporting violations and not unlawful releases of these chemicals.)

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