EPA has issued several regulations under Title VI of the Clean Air Act designed to protect the
ozone layer and to provide for a smooth transition away from ozone-depleting substances.
EPA is also charged with enforcing these regulations. This page
features information about enforcement actions, ranging from civil
fines to criminal prosecutions. The Stratospheric Protection Division doesn't
actually enforce the regulations; enforcement is performed within EPA
by the Office of Enforcement
and Compliance Assurance.
Please note the following:
- No information is presented here about ongoing
investigations;
- Even for completed cases, this page represents only the most
major cases; and
- Information comes from a variety of organizations, so it is not
always formatted consistently.
If you suspect or witness unlawful releases of refrigerant or
other violations of the Clean Air Act regulations, you can file a
report easily and anonymously by visiting EPA's
Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance website. EPA also
has a new page to enlist the public and other law enforcement
agencies in tracking down fugitives accused of violating
environmental laws, including smuggling ozone-depleting
substances, and evading arrest.
2008-2007 | 2006-2005 | 2004-2003 | 2002-2001 | 2000-1999 | 1998-1997 | Earlier
- December 1, 2008: PVC
Manufacturers Agree to Reduce Air Pollutants and Strengthen Control
of Hazardous Wastes
- Shintech, Inc. and its subsidiary K-Bin, Inc., have agreed in
a settlement by the Justice Department and EPA to spend $4.8
million to comply with the Clean Air Act and the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) at their manufacturing
facilities in Freeport, Texas. The companies’ actions
will reduce harmful chlorofluorocarbon emissions and improve
hazardous waste management at these facilities beyond the
requirements imposed by environmental laws. The companies also
have agreed to pay a $2.585 million civil penalty to resolve
environmental violations under the Clean Air Act, RCRA, and the
Clean Water Act, and to perform $4.7 million worth of
supplemental environmental projects.
- August 19, 2008: EPA
fines Imperial Toy for selling ozone-depleting novelty confetti
string product
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently fined
Imperial Toy LLC, located in North Hills, CA, $66,180 for
selling "Spray-A-String," which contained R-22, an
ozone-depleting substance.
July 8, 2008: Bristol-Myers
Squibb agrees to Clean Air Act upgrades
- Bristol-Myers Squibb, an international pharmaceutical
manufacturer, has agreed to reduce the output of
ozone-depleting refrigerants at multiple industrial facilities
around the country at a combined cost of $3.65 million to
resolve violations of the Clean Air Act.
- March 18, 2008: EPA
reaches agreement with Kerry on clean-air violations
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 5 has reached an
agreement with Kerry Inc. on alleged violations of EPA
regulations to protect stratospheric ozone at the company's
bread crumb manufacturing plant in Millstadt, Ill. The
agreement, which includes a $169,822 penalty and an $811,097
environmental project, resolves EPA allegations that Kerry
failed to repair refrigeration equipment that leaked excessive
amounts of ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons, or CFCs. In
addition, EPA said the company violated testing, notification,
retrofitting, replacement and retirement planning requirements
for the equipment.
- November 19, 2007: U.S.
EPA Fines Air Conditioning Service Company for the Illegal Import
of HCFC-22
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency fined JWS
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning, Ltd., a Tamuning, Guam
refrigeration and heating equipment services company, $53,481
for allegedly importing banned refrigerants in violation of the
Clean Air Act. The company allegedly imported 25,402 kg of
hydrochlorofluorocarbon (HCFC)-22 or R-22, an ozone-depleting
substance, from sources outside the United States, in violation
of the stratospheric ozone protection regulations.
- October 10, 2007: U.S.
EPA Fines Industrial Bakery for Refrigerant Leak Repair
Violations
- A baking company in Malden, Mass. has agreed to pay a fine of
$50,000 for Clean Air Act Violations and will spend $25,000 to
purchase renewable energy credits. Piantedosi Baking Company, a
manufacturer of bread products, owns and operates two
facilities in Malden, Mass. EPA inspected the two facilities to
evaluate the company’s compliance with the federal
stratospheric ozone protection regulations. EPA found that
Piantedosi had failed to document the type of repairs that were
conducted on its refrigeration equipment and failed to document
that leak repair verification tests had been performed.
- October 1, 2007: U.S.
EPA settles with Carrier Guam for $63,922 for illegal importation
of ozone-depleting substances
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reached a settlement
with Carrier Guam, of Tamuning, a refrigeration and heating
equipment services company, for allegedly importing 32,356
kilograms of hydrochlorofluorocarbon refrigerants regulated by
the Clean Air Act. A May 2006 inspection by the Guam EPA, in
consultation with the U.S. EPA, identified the alleged
violations of the stratospheric ozone protection regulations
committed by Carrier Guam.
- July 10, 2007: Target
Corporation to Pay Fine for Violating Clean Air Act
- The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
announced today that Target Corporation will pay a civil
penalty of $120,000 for distributing and selling Horrible
Spooky String; a children's product containing ozone-depleting
substances in violation of the Clean Air Act. EPA had
previously ordered five national retail chains to pull from
their shelves cans of illegally imported confetti string
products that contain banned hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).
These substances deplete the earth's protective stratospheric
ozone layer and increase the risk of skin cancer. Millions of
cans of these novelty items, many imported from other countries
and known by various names such as Horrible Spooky String, Zany
String, Crazy String, and Party Streamer, etc., have been sold
illegally in the United States.
- April 5, 2007: Rolls
Royce Corporation to Pay a Settlement Over Alleged Industrial
Process Refrigeration Leak Repair Violations
- The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has reached an
agreement with Rolls Royce Corp. on alleged clean-air
violations at the company's helicopter engine manufacturing
plant in Indianapolis, Indiana. The agreement, which includes
an $18,329 penalty, resolves EPA allegations that Rolls Royce
violated federal regulations to protect the stratospheric ozone
layer by failing to follow proper repair and recordkeeping
procedures for three pieces of industrial process refrigeration
equipment that contained ozone-depleting hydrofluorocarbon
refrigerant, R-22.
- 2008-2007 | 2006-2005 |
2004-2003 | 2002-2001 | 2000-1999 | 1998-1997 | Earlier
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