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Lynchburg Pipe Plant Settles Hazardous Waste Storage Violations - EPA and Plant Owner Agree to Penalty and to Reducing Hazardous Dust Emissions

Release Date: 1/14/2005
Contact Information: Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

Bonnie Smith, 215-814-5543

PHILADELPHIA – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announced that Chicago-based AMSTED Industries, Inc. has settled alleged violations of federal and state hazardous waste regulations at the company=s Griffin Pipe Products plant at 10 Adams Street, Lynchburg, Va.

In a consent agreement with EPA, AMSTED has agreed to pay a $25,857 penalty to settle alleged violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). This law is designed to protect public health and the environment, and avoid costly cleanups, by requiring the safe, environmentally sound storage and disposal of hazardous waste.

As part of the settlement, the company has also agreed to install a new pollution control system at the Lynchburg plant, which will exceed the requirements of federal and state environmental regulations. This project will prevent the dust currently generated by the plant=s melting and metal treatment operations from becoming hazardous waste by installing an in-duct treatment dust injection system. The new system will inject a substance into the hot gas coming from the furnace on its way to the baghouse that binds with the dust in the gas as it cools. Now, the dust, which still contains lead and cadmium, is a waste but no longer a hazardous waste. The new system is expected to cost over $200,000.

In a June 2003 complaint, EPA cited AMSTED for several RCRA violations at the Griffin Pipe Products plant. These violations included operating without a required hazardous waste storage permit and failing to close or properly label hazardous waste containers. Additional alleged violations include failing to maintain personnel training records and secondary containment, and minimizing the risk of release of hazardous waste. The hazardous wastes involved in these alleged violations included baghouse dust containing lead and cadmium, ignitable aerosol paint cans, crushed flourescent bulbs and waste paint.

As part of the settlement, the company neither admitted nor denied liability for the alleged violations. For more information about regulation of hazardous waste, visit https://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/index.htm. For information about supplementary environmental projects, visit https://cfpub.epa.gov/compliance/resources/policies/civil/seps/.