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Sunoco Settles Toxic Chemical Reporting Violations at Philadelphia and Rebersburg, Pa. Plants

Release Date: 12/17/2002
Contact Information: Donna Heron, (215) 814-5113

Donna Heron, (215) 814-5113

PHILADELPHIA – Sunoco, Inc., has settled alleged violations of toxic chemical reporting regulations at its facilities in Philadelphia and Rebersburg, Pa., the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today.

In separate settlements, Sunoco has agreed to pay total penalties of $29,252 to settle alleged violations at the company’s chemical manufacturing facility at Margaret and Bermuda Streets in Philadelphia and its Montour Oil facility in 107 West Main Street, Rebersburg, Pa.

Both cases allege violations of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act, or EPCRA, which requires companies that use or process more than a threshold amount of listed toxic chemicals to file an annual toxic chemical release form with EPA and the state. Companies must report both routine and accidental releases of toxic chemicals, as well as the maximum amount of any listed chemicals at the facility and the amount contained in wastes transferred off-site. The reports provide the basis for EPA’s annual Toxic Release Inventory, which allows the public and regulatory authorities to track toxic pollution and to identify pollution prevention opportunities.

Sunoco agreed to pay a $21,108 penalty for failing to file timely reports for its Rebersburg facility on 1999 and 2000 releases of benzene, toluene, xylene, and 1,2,4 trimethylbenzene. The company cooperated with EPA’s inspection, and promptly filed the reports after being notified of the alleged violations.

Sunoco agreed to a $8,144 penalty for failing to file timely reports of 1999 releases of formic acid from its Philadelphia plant. The penalty was reduced to reflect Sunoco’s voluntarily reporting of this violation.

It is important to note that both cases involved reporting violations, and not unlawful releases of toxic chemicals. As part of the settlements, Sunoco neither admitted nor denied liability for the alleged violations.