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U.S. EPA reduces fine for San Jose circuit manufacturer self reporting violations

Release Date: 7/18/2005
Contact Information: Lisa Fasano, (415) 947-4307

Jabil Circuit reported and corrected toxic chemical release information

SAN FRANCISCO - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently eliminated a $85,000 penalty against Jabil Circuit for self-disclosing its failure to submit toxic chemical reports, violations of the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act.

Jabil Circuit - which manufactures electrical and electromechanical assemblies for certain industries - is located at 30 Great Oaks Blvd., in San Jose, Calif. Between 2001 - 2003, Jabil Circuit failed to submit timely toxic release reporting forms to the EPA that account for the amount of lead releases Jabil had from the facility each year. The annual reporting is compiled by the EPA and release to the public as the Toxic Release Inventory report.

"This is a good example of how the EPA and industry can work together," said Enrique Manzanilla, Communities and Ecosystems Division Director for EPA's Pacific Southwest region. "Jabil disclosed the violation and corrected it, ensuring the company complied with federal law The records are now correct for public use."

Federal law requires certain facilities using chemicals over certain amounts to file annual reports of chemical releases with the EPA and the state. The reports estimate the amounts released to the environment, treated or recycled on-site, or transferred off-site for waste management. This information is then compiled into a national database called the Toxics Release Inventory and made available to the public. The premise behind the program is that people have a right to know about toxic chemical emissions, and that facilities have a responsibility to inform surrounding communities about their use and release of toxic chemicals.

Under the agency's audit policy, the EPA may reduce penalties up to 100 percent for violations that are voluntarily discovered, promptly disclosed to the agency and quickly corrected. Because Jabil disclosed the reporting errors and met additional criteria, the agency applied the policy, reducing the potential $85,566 fine to zero.

Enacted in 1986, the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act requires that reports detailing toxic chemical releases and waste management activities be submitted annually. Facilities that don't submit timely reports not only fail to comply with the annual reporting requirement but fail to make toxic release data available to states and the public in a timely manner.

More information about the Audit Policy can be found at: www.epa.gov/compliance/incentives/auditing/auditpolicy.html

For more information on the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) program visit: https://www.epa.gov/tri. The U.S. EPA's environmental databases, including the TRI data, can be accessed at: https://www.epa.gov/enviro.
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