The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined the DuPont chemical company $531,000 for allegedly violating the Clean Air Act at its Deepwater, New Jersey, chemical manufacturing plant. DuPont has agreed to pay the penalties and says it has corrected the problems revealed in the auditing process.
According to the EPA, the facility improperly maintained and repaired two large refrigeration units, potentially releasing elevated amounts of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) into the environment. Together, the units have a capacity of 3,000 pounds of CFCs, which are believed to be detrimental to the ozone layer.
"CFCs deplete the ozone layer and this destruction has been clearly linked to an increase in people getting skin cancer," Judith A. Enck, EPA Regional Administrator, said in a news release. "As the ozone gets thinner, more harmful ultraviolet rays reach the Earth's surface and put people's health at risk."
The EPA also alleges that DuPont did not submit the necessary, accurate reports to the agency, as required by federal law.
Environmental consultants can help chemical manufacturing facilities like the DuPont Chambers Works Complex in Deepwater create strategic plans for complying with federal regulations, avoiding costly penalties while still maximizing productivity and profit margins.
The 1,455 acre plant has stood on the eastern shore of the Delaware River since 1892. Since then, the site has supplied the nation and globe with manufactured dyes, freon, tetraethyl lead and other chemicals. In that time, federal rules and regulations have come and gone, with the only certainty being change. Turn to a third-party consulting firm to help you weather these political vagaries while always protecting your business interests.